Notice of Availability of Guidance for Protecting Responders' Health During the First Week Following a Wide-Area Aerosol Anthrax Attack

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The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is announcing the availability of a guidance document, Guidance for Protecting Responders' Health During the First Week Following a Wide-Area Aerosol Anthrax Attack. This guidance provides recommendations for protecting personnel responding to a wide-area anthrax attack from developing anthrax as a result of exposure to aerosolized Bacillus anthracis spores and for minimizing the amount of exposure in the first week of a response. Protective measures addressed in the guidance include medical countermeasures (i.e., drugs, vaccine), personal protective equipment (PPE), and other possible work practices. A federal interagency working group that included subject matter experts in biodefense, infectious diseases, and occupational health and safety developed this guidance. Persons interested in obtaining a copy of the guidance may do so by using the Internet. The guidance is available at http:// www.regulations.gov, http://phe.gov and http://www.dhs.gov/publication/ protecting-responders-health-after-wide-area-aerosol-anthrax-attack. This document is also available in hard-copy for all those that request it from the federal points of contact.