Bioterrorism is the intentional use of infectious agents, or germs, to cause illness. Bioterrorism preparedness has been made a national priority. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has worked with state and local health departments to identify and to respond to bioterrorism for several years. The federal response to bioterrorism includes medications, medical supplies, and if necessary, vaccines to protect an affected community.
Clark County Public Health is aware of the need to be prepared for bioterrorism. For the past several years Public Health has worked with local medical community and emergency management responders to increase the ability to detect and respond to a bioterrorist attack. Public Health has also developed bioterrorism response plans along with the Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Clark County Public Health has received funding from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to upgrade state and local public health departments' preparedness for and response to bioterrorism, other outbreaks of infectious disease, and other public health threats and emergencies. As the CDC intended, these funds are being used to augment, complement, and closely coordinate the bioterrorism activities with the Health Department's efforts in infectious disease epidemiology (epidemiology refers to the incidence and control of infectious diseases), surveillance (the ongoing, systematic collection, analysis, and interpretation of health data), isolation, and quarantine.
Special effort is being made to develop efficient and effective communications between the Clark County Public Health, local emergency management services such as the Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency, local hospitals, government, vulnerable populations, law enforcement, community organizations, and local businesses with other relevant local, state, and federal government agencies.
DOH web page on frequently asked questions about bioterrorism www.doh.wa.gov/phepr/bioterrorismfaq.htm.
The U.S. public health system and primary healthcare providers must be prepared to address various biological agents, including pathogens that are rarely seen in the United States. High-priority agents include organisms that pose a risk to national security. These are called Category A agents and are described in the following link to the CDC as are lower priority Category B and C agents. http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/agentlist-category.asp#a
