“We handle incoming mail with gloves and we wash our hands with antibacterial soap,” said Carmen Garcia, supervising switchboard operator who works in the communications department where the mail room is located.
The safety measures are not mandatory, however.
Everyday the Cerritos College mailroom receives approximately 1,000 pieces of first class mail and 5,000 flat envelopes.
Before reaching its final destination, the mail is processed in both the Long Beach and Norwalk post offices.
“We are not afraid because the mail is pretty safe by the time we receive it,” Garcia said. “We don’t think we’ll be targeted but we could,” she added. “Although, I’m sure all of the victims had the same thought.”
Garcia said employees are being watchful and staying calm. “If it’s going to happen it’s going to happen.”
So far there have been five confirmed Anthrax cases in the United States, all reported on the east coast.
Most of the victims contracted the virus via the postal service, at the workplace.
Mail clerk, Luis Contreras says he is not afraid of the threat. “l’ll be concerned once it gets here,” he said.
What is Anthrax?
Anthrax is an acute infectious disease caused by spore-forming bacterium B. Anthracis. There are three forms of Anthrax; Inhalational, cutaneous and gastrointestinal.
Humans usually become infected through direct contact with the Anthrax spores. Human-to-human transmission has not yet been documented.
The most lethal of the virus, Inhalational Anthrax, results from inspiration of 8,000-50,000 anthrax spores.
Symptoms include mild fever, muscle aches, body discomfort and may progress to respiratory failure and shock.
Mortality rate for inhalational anthrax is very high even with all possible supportive care including appropriate antibiotics.
Cutaneous anthrax is characterized by a skin wound evolving into a black dry scab and dead tissue.
The wound is usually painless but patients may experience fever, body discomfort, headache and abnormal enlargement of the lymph nodes.
The case fatality rate is 20 percent without, and 1 percent with, antiobotic treatment.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are three types of antibiotics FDA approved for the treatment of anthrax: ciprofloxacin, tetracyclines and penicillins.
For people exposed to anthrax, but do not display symptoms, one of these antibiotics is administered to reduce the risk or progression of disease.
How Serious is threat?
The U.S. Postal Service released a statement declaring: “We have delivered more than 20 billion pieces of mail since the Sept. 11 events,” and reminded Americans that the Anthrax cases are “isolated incidents.
“We have established a Mail Security Task Force or hazardous biological and chemical materials that well include our unions, management associations, major mailers and senior postal managers,” the release read.
The USPS urges Americans to exercise “common sense “when dealing with mail.
What makes a
package suspicious?
“So far we haven’t received any suspicious packages,” Contreras said. “I don’t think we will either.”
But how should you handle a suspicious letter or package? The CDC Health Advisory recommends Americans not to “shake or empty the contents of the suspicous mail, show it to others nor let others examine it.”
Instead it advises that the object is placed on a stable surface. Refrain from “sniffing, touching, tasting or closely looking at the object.”
Isolate the area where the package is located. If possible shut off the ventilation in the room, and notify the local law enforcement agency.
The mailroom staff continues to handle business. “We cannot stay locked up in our houses,” said Garcia. “Then the terrorist will accomplish what they set out to do.”
Handlers of mail in Cerritos’ communications center will be going to a safety seminar next week.
