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10/04/2005 Archived Entry: "Biohazard released over peace marchers?"

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE STORIES YOU FIRST TAKE WITH A GRAIN OF SALT. A biohazard fills the air of Washington, DC, on the day of the big peace protest. Not the day before. Nor the day after. Just that one day. The particular "bug" -- tularemia -- is one known to be stockpiled by the U.S. government. Sounds like a wild tale for the conspiracy theorists -- except that major media back up the story. And some commentators ask pointed questions.

Another question: If sensors detected this bug in the air of the nation's capital on September 24, why weren't rapid countermeasures taken -- evacuations, quarantines, health warnings? Why just let the story meander out in the media on October 1? Apparently "official" Washington didn't even respond to the hazard until today.

I don't know how long it takes public health officials to receive and analyze data from the biohazard sensors. But had this been a human-to-human transmissible disease (which tularemia evidently isn't), imagine what deep yogurt we might already be in.

How did a rabbit disease get into the air over Washington, DC, on the day of a big peace march? Is there a perfectly ordinary, natural reason? Definitely weird.

(P.S. Thanks to Ted N. for being on Grammar Patrol.)

Posted by Claire @ 08:19 AM CST
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