Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-27-2021
DOI
10.1001/jama.2021.19292
Abstract
The 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, resulted in deep national reflection. Less remembered are the events that began to unfold 7 days later as anonymous letters laced with deadly anthrax (Bacillus anthracis) spores began arriving at postal facilities, media companies, and congressional offices. The first death from inhaled anthrax exposure occurred on October 5, with an additional 4 deaths and 17 infections over the ensuing months.
The anthrax attacks exposed a health system ill-equipped to respond to acute emergencies. This article explores the lessons learned, and unlearned, from the anthrax attacks, through to Ebola, Zika, Influenza (H1N1) and now COVID-19.
Publication Citation
The Journal of the American Medical Association, published online October 27, 2021, at E1-E2.
Scholarly Commons Citation
Gostin, Lawrence O. and Nuzzo, Jennifer B., "Twenty Years After the Anthrax Terrorist Attacks of 2001: Lessons Learned and Unlearned for the COVID-19 Response" (2021). Georgetown Law Faculty Publications and Other Works. 2417.
https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/facpub/2417