RE: irradiation of US mail

["Bjorn Cedervall" <bcradsafers@HOTMAIL.COM>]

>I have problems as it is now. There are places where they X-Ray all

the mail. This presents a problem when sending out TLD Badges. Even though 

the packages have in big 'red' letters "CAUTION - DO NOT X-RAY", they still 

X-Ray them.

----

It is easy to understand this problem. If we now also discuss sterilization 

- that would mean doses that may destroy even non-living things. Irradiation 

does not seem feasible for a number of reasons already discussed here.



A few other comments:

1. At what temperature are the spores killed? Suppose that you get a suspect 

mail and are vaccinated/have taken antibiotics - can't you just wet the 

envelope and iron it?



2. A strange aspect is that any biological weapon potentially threats the 

attacker's side. The same goes for Pasteurella pestis, Clostridium, smallpox 

(a virus - is that still around in some labs?) or whatever.



3. Would it be feasible to vaccinate people who work or live near more 

obvious and potential targets? Say 20 million people - just for the sake of 

discussion. What would the expected costs and expected side effects 

(deaths?) be?



(It is obvious that the other side of the cost - causing panic also is large 

- pudding powder (?) leaking out of an envelope at some postoffice (in 

Denver I think) a few days ago caused emergency response, FBI, fire fighters 

and police involvement (please correct if there is any local Radsafer - a 

Swedish friend told me this). And then the "ordinary" criminals can do their 

job better which is another cost.)



5. Most strains can probably quickly be DNA sequenced in great detail. That 

would give clues to whether they originated from any institutional lab (for 

the future - the strains could probably be tagged). FBI must have realized 

that long ago...



OK - only one on-topic comment and four off-topics. Perhaps the off-topic 

responses could/should be directed to the RiskAnal forum rather that 

Radsafers - or sent to me directly.



My reflections only,



Bjorn Cedervall    bcradsafers@hotmail.com

http://www.geocities.com/bjorn_cedervall/





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