TY - JOUR AU - Wein, Lawrence AU - Liu, Yifan AU - Leighton, Terrance T1 - HEPA/Vaccine Plan for Indoor Anthrax Remediation T2 - Emerging Infectious Disease journal PY - 2005 VL - 11 IS - 1 SP - 69 SN - 1080-6059 AB - We developed a mathematical model to compare 2 indoor remediation strategies in the aftermath of an outdoor release of 1.5 kg of anthrax spores in lower Manhattan. The 2 strategies are the fumigation approach used after the 2001 postal anthrax attack and a HEPA/vaccine plan, which relies on HEPA vacuuming, HEPA air cleaners, and vaccination of reoccupants. The HEPA/vaccine approach leads to few anthrax cases among reoccupants if applied to all but the most heavily contaminated buildings, and recovery is much faster than under the decades-long fumigation plan. Only modest environmental sampling is needed. A surge capacity of 10,000 to 20,000 Hazmat workers is required to perform remediation within 6 to 12 months and to avoid permanent mass relocation. Because of the possibility of a campaign of terrorist attacks, serious consideration should be given to allowing or encouraging voluntary self-service cleaning of lightly contaminated rooms by age-appropriate, vaccinated, partially protected (through masks or hoods) reoccupants or owners. KW - research KW - HEPA filter KW - anthrax KW - mathematical model KW - bioterrorism KW - remediation KW - vaccine KW - United States DO - 10.3201/eid1101.040635 UR - https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/11/1/04-0635_article ER - End of Reference