U.S. Postal Service Could Deliver Antibiotics in Event of Bioterrorist Attack
The U.S. Postal Service has partnered with the Department of Homeland Security and HHS to develop a plan to deliver antibiotics and other medications to "supplement local public health programs in the event of a catastrophe," USPS officials said on Wednesday, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports. Under the plan, which remains in the early stages development, USPS would deliver antibiotics and other medications from the national stockpile to local health departments or residences in the event of a bioterrorist attack or other emergency. USPS would not require individual postal employees to participate in the plan. William Young, the president of the National Association of Letter Carriers, a postal employees union, said, "We all hope that such an incident never occurs, but if needed, I am confident that members of NALC would regard this volunteer activity as a patriotic duty not only for their friends and neighbors, but for the nation as a whole" (AP/Long Island Newsday, 2/18).
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