Hi everyone,<br><br>I think that it's terrible that companies are taking advantage of people's fear by gouging them. I bought an Israeli mask for $12 with the filter about 7 months ago. I've seen them on the internet for $40+. I consider such business people predators.<br><br>If you are still interested in buying them, a good place to try is flea markets and your local mom and pop surplus shops.<br><br>I would not say that such fear is not warranted. The last thing I want to do is to incite anyone to panic, but I know a few points about biological warfare issues and would like to say a few things for the benefit of all.<br><br>Anthrax is an example of a bacteria that will transmit through skin (cutaneously). It will also transmit through inhalation and eating. It is naturally occurring and relatively easy to produce. Much easier to produce, than say, some nerve agents and all nuclear weapons. I feel it would be a natural choice for terrorists.<br><br>This is particularly unsettling because Anthrax has an incubation period of approximately one week. If you would imagine a scenario (God forbid) where someone loads a crop duster and flies over L.A. or Cleveland, thousands of people would be infected and not necessarily know it; many would mistake it for the common cold. Once you realize you are infected, you will die in 1-2 days unless a heroic antibiotic regiment is started before acute symptoms appear.<br><br>Many bacteria, spores, and viruses can stay dormant without a host. In our doomsday scenario, the city would have to be sterilized before civilians could resume life. Every crevace would have to be investigated: air ducts, dumpsters, mail boxes, etc. Such spores would have to be eradicated.<br><br>On the subject of vaccines: to my knowledge, vaccines are not widely available to the general public. Vaccines are administered to "high risk" occupations. If Anthrax were to be released on a civilian population, the United States stockpile of vaccines would be pathetically inadequate.<br><br>DoD recognizes the risk of Anthrax to all military personnel. In fact, they are beginning mandatory immunization to everyone in the armed forces, not just infantry or "front lines" people.<br><br>I live near Dayton, Ohio. I read in a local newspaper a couple of weeks ago that the US government built an anthrax lab for the sole purpose of researching mutations for vaccines. It exists in the US already. The point? The Government directly and indirectly acknowledges the threat.<br><br>What can you do to keep safe? I'm open to suggestions.<br><br>Large cities would obviously be more at risk, unless the government shoots down a loaded plane over your town.<br><br>Unless you want to live your whole life in a bio suit, there is not much you can do short of getting the vaccine. And then, that is only one germ you are immune to. All immunizations have to be maintained.<br><br>The best defense is to keep aware of any odd symptoms that you or yours develop (out of season colds, difficulty breathing, strange rashes) - the key is to detect it early, as in yesterday.<br><br>Please, I am not trying to scare anyone, but keep in mind this scenario is quite real; many other germs and agents exist. I believe that the only real solution is to make sure that the organizations and people that have bio laboratories get them permanently shut down- you just can't keep getting vaccinated every year for all possible strains and mutations.<br><br>I like to think that when I call in to radio stations and the like, journalists will start to get more familiar with biological warfare issues. The more they are familiar, the more they ask the government officials. Hopefully the increased awareness will lead to solutions.<br><br><br><br>Peace and God Bless America<br><br>Chris