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American Morning

Interview with Senator Bill Frist (R), Tennessee

Aired March 21, 2002 - 09:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: In the weeks following September 11, the threat of bioterrorism became a grim reality in America. The mail became a weapons delivery system, delivering deadly anthrax, and in a matter of days, hard on the heels of the 9/11 terror attacks, Americans starting hearing about bioterrorism, and wondered how prepared is our government for biological attacks, and how do we protect ourselves and our families?

In response to those concerns, Senator Bill Frist, the only doctor in the U.S. Senate, has written this book. "When Every Moment Counts: What You Need To Know About Bioterrorism." And Senator Bill Frist joins us now from Washington.

Good Morning.

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), TENNESSEE: Good morning, good to be with you.

WHITFIELD: Well, just after 9/11, bioterrorism kind of became a common word in the vocabulary of Americans. What does your book help us do in terms of responding to the threat, and helping putting many of us at ease?

FRIST: Well, what happened after the anthrax by mail, is really a feeling of insecurity. Indeed, terrorism worked. It became very personal to people all across the country. Government has responded, we're spending an additional $3 billion to reduce our vulnerabilities. But now we know the risk is real, it's reality. We know the risk is increasing. There are over 10 countries developing offensive biological weapons programs. What I have done in this book, "When Every Moment Counts," is put together a family guide, a reference book, that answers the top 130 questions that everyday people have about how to protect themselves, and their loved ones, in the event there's a bioterror attack.

WHITFIELD: What are some of those top questions? We know that people have been pretty worried about anthrax. How about some of the other threats, such as smallpox for instance?

FRIST: Smallpox is probably one of the most common questions, and I have a whole chapter on smallpox, as well as anthrax, and Tularemia, and plague, and other agents. Smallpox, people ask, if it comes to this country, will I getting infected?

And the answer is, you can. It is a very infectious agent. Is there treatment for smallpox today?

No. The answer is we don't have treatment. We have to have more research in that area.

Thirdly, is the vaccine that I got 30 years ago or 40 years ago, the vaccination on my arm or the little scar on my leg, does that vaccination protect me today, and the answer is no.

What is the government doing? We are working hard to increase that supply today. That is just an example of the series of questions that I get asked, that I lay out in a question and answer format, easy to read, a family guide for the family.

WHITFIELD: And a lot of Americans, perhaps not trusting of the government, or perhaps just worried they would fall through the cracks when it came down to any help, if there were a bioterrorist attack, went out and got themselves gas masks, they started stocking up on food, looking into, you know, how do you create your own bunker of sorts, at home. What do you advise people who took those measures, perhaps some might call them paranoid, other may call them a little overly cautious. What do you advise to people about what they can get in order to protect themselves and their families at home?

FRIST: Well, if we all felt uncertain in October, knowing that anthrax, a deadly agent is in our community, going through our mail, that terrorists today have access, most likely, to smallpox, plague, and Tularemia, we all felt the terror. We all felt that uncertainty. What this book, "When Every Moment Counts," does, it goes through and addresses each of those particular issues. On page 30 or 35, 37, I list the 20 items you should have in a family disaster supply kit if you are concerned. I actually have pictures in the book, and there is a picture of the type of mask you should buy, if you want to. I even say where to go and buy it, and how much it would actually cost.

WHITFIELD: Well, Senator...

FRIST: Go ahead.

WHITFIELD: ...go ahead, sorry.

FRIST: I think that what we can do, if we can give people the information, it empowers them, it empowers their families to take charge. We are going to be okay, the nation is going to be all right. Government is responding, but through this book, which is in paperback, "When Every Moment Counts," we equip people with the information that they need, answer the questions they have, even if they haven't articulated those questions.

WHITFIELD: So it would be your view that consequently, a lot of Americans became smarter, not necessarily more paranoid, about bioterrorism.

FRIST: They became smarter because we and our government realized what a risk this is. The reality is here. We've seen a bioterrorist attack on our soil. That terrorist is still loose right now in America. We know that other countries are going to target us with biological weapons because they're the ideal agent of terror. We know that from intelligence.

What can we do? Reduce those vulnerabilities and that's why I wrote the book, to equip Americans with that knowledge. The government is responding, the president is leading, but there is something that we, each one of us, can do, and that's spelled out in the book.

WHITFIELD: All right. The book is called "When Every Moment Counts: What You Need To Know About Bioterrorism." Senator Bill Frist from Washington, thanks so much, good to see you.

FRIST: Good to be with you.

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