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American Morning

Anthrax Scare: In-Depth Look at Anthrax Scare

Aired October 15, 2001 - 10:23   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.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: There is also a lot of misinformation floating around about anthrax. Hoping to dispel that is our next guest, Michael Osterholm. He is the director for the Center for Infectious Disease Research at the University of Minnesota.

Thanks for joining us this morning.

Certainly, a lot of misinformation out there, but first of all, these recent cases that we have been reporting, does it frighten you at all that there have been so many case so far of people who have touched anthrax or have spores of it have been found in their nostrils.

MICHAEL OSTERHOLM, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA: Just to put this into perspective, I have been one of those calling for over the last five years the need to improve our ability to respond to bioterrorism in this country and the concern that it was coming. So taking my comments in that light, I do have any fright or worry about the envelopes coming to our homes or places of business with powders in them.

Unfortunately, the situation in Florida, whether there was a tragic death, cases here in New York, reflect a time before we recognize these powders in envelopes could contain anthrax.

Now that we know that, we should in every instance be able to handle these very calmly. Basically. in an envelope does come with powder in it, you just don't open it if you can feel the powder. If somehow you open it, there is powder in it, merely put it in a plastic bag quickly, wash your hands, remove any clothing and call 911. We can test that material quickly. We can tell with you certainly whether there is anthrax in that powder, and there will be plenty of time to be treated so that no one should get sick again.

So we with have put that in perspective. The problem we have now with the hoax situation where many envelopes are arriving around the country that have nothing to really do with this situation, and the country needs to take a breath right now and understand that we can handle this.

CALLAWAY: And certainly, as you said, it can be treated. So what is your fear of anthrax?

OSTERHOLM: I think that, again, we have to keep our eye on the big ball, which is preparing a nation that recognized on September 11th that terrorism a reality now on our shores.

CALLAWAY: But sir, I don't to interrupt you, because I want to make sure people understand how real the fear is. How difficult is it to concentrate the spores of anhtrax and disseminate it into the population, where it can indeed become something that can't be handled, as this is so far being handled.

OSTERHOLM: Well, I, again, would have to tell you that the fear and panic that we're seeing with the envelopes may very well, you know, dictate what we see about the rest of it. We can't not take this issue seriously, about anthrax and the population.

Right now, bad guys out there have a bullet. You know, several weeks ago, there were pundits saying, you know, it is very hard to get ahold of anthrax. Now we know people have it. Whether they are related to bin Laden or not, we don't know. But they have a very ineffective gun right now to shoot that bullet. If they get a better gun, meaning they can disseminate it in the air and communities, yes, it's going to be a very serious problem.

CALLAWAY: But again, I ask you, how difficult would it be to do that, to release this in such a concentrated form that it could become a problem.

OSTERHOLM: Well, yes, see, I think that's a black and white answer I can't give you. Let me just say that if you already have the experience, if you have the experience with a rogue nation that's been working with this for 20 or 30 years. If you can buy that, that's obviously easy to do. Don't forget that the individuals who crashed the planes into the World Trade Center towers probably could not build one of those airplanes, but they knew how to get one. We know today that there are groups out there that could find the technology that does exist to disseminate anthrax in our communities. Will it happen today, tomorrow, next month, next year? We don't know. We have to be prepared for that eventuality, that's what we are doing right now.

CALLAWAY: Is your bigger concern anthrax or a more contagious problem, like smallpox?

OSTERHOLM: Well, that's a very important point you raise. Fortunately, with anthrax, is once it's out there in the community, we can treat it first of all. Second of all, it's not going to be transmitted from one person to the next, and that's a important distinction.

The piece you raised with the contagiousness that is the one agent, smallpox, that would present that kind after problem. If smallpox were to come into the country, we would need to very quickly not only isolate the cases, but find out who might have been exposed to those cases. Because unlike the initial release of anthrax, the initial release of smallpox could very well result in many, many more cases. That's why we're working very hard right now to build the vaccine stockpile, so that we have more vaccine and can respond effectively should a case like this occur in the community.

CALLAWAY: Mr. Osterholm, we are running out of time here, but quickly, do you think everything is being done right now to calm the fears of people like you of threats like anthrax and smallpox?

OSTERHOLM: Well, let me just say that again, I was the one out there among others, calling for an accelerated response to this in our country over the last five years, saw very little of it done until recent weeks. I'm quite optimistic that both the Congress and administration are very committed to doing the kinds of things we need do. We just need to not take our eye off the ball and keep doing it.

CALLAWAY: All right, Michael Osterholm, thank you very much for joining us this morning.

OSTERHOLM: Thank you.

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