Protecting the Public

" Happening now. Meantime a congressional commission is warning that biological terrorism remains an urgent threat in this country. And while nuclear threats like a dirty bomber made a big trial big problem the commission says that the Obama administration is not doing enough. To protect the nation against bioterrorism. The White House says that's not the case insisting it is among the president's top national security priorities. -- Ron -- is a science adviser to the congressional commission. That issued this report what is the overall conclusion here I mean everybody remembers what happened after 9/11 that anthrax threat came. People were taking the antibiotics. Everybody was buying you know I'd germ warfare suits and gas masks that kind of thing. Have we forgotten that the threat is still out there."

" Well I think -- that doing clay and asked to prepare for the threat that's for sure there's a lot more work to be done. Says make sure that we have to who were prepared not only for something like the anthrax letters. But something much more dire. The such jazz for instance what what are some of threats that are out there that you think we are not prepared. Well I mean -- there are many biological agents and this is one of the differences between bio and nuclear threats because it's by no buyouts. Biology comes in many different flavors and slots different pathogens. And some of those are contagious and would require many more resources to contained. So we we have a lot of work to do to not only prepare for our anthrax and a wide range of threats but to make sure that we can deliver. Drugs and vaccines of the population. And protect people."

" And one of the conclusions of the commission is. Yes nuclear events are obviously in it -- extremely scary but it's pretty hard for your average terrorist. To get his hands on nuclear material. It's a lot easier to get a hold of some of these pathogens that could cause enormous damage. Absolutely."

" The stuff of nuclear terrorism is much harder to get a hold of then. Biological pathogens and you know the difference another difference between -- and hits. Is that by though we are affected by it in a natural way every day of H1N1. Swine flu. We we're we have new diseases that we have to deal -- and so our hope is that -- preparing adequately for biological terrorism while also helping. To prepare for natural outbreaks and you can guarantee you never gonna keep seeing more than."

" So well and I wonder of H1N1 is sort of a study that points to exactly what your commission. Is talking about I mean here we've known since spraying that this thing was coming there's been a national push to develop a vaccine. And yet the word is that the vaccines gonna get here too late to protect most of the people who need it."

" Right yes I mean people are working as hard as he can't. And and is -- is now as a system will allow it but there's only so far that you can go and it's like. You -- race car driver driving a small you have the compact car but it doesn't make it a race car will need a race card to get the vaccines that we need to the people. Cooler who need them. And eight months pregnant so I am I I was one of the lucky few that managed to get a vaccine. When they have at a clinic last week. In my in my town but a lot of people who are still waiting and and need that vaccine. GG ground ball thanks for your information."