What Effects Would a Targeted Bioattack Have on the US and its Allies if the First Targets Were Our Infants?
By Dr. John Norris
As a former FDA COO, Harvard faculty member, and infectious disease spread expert—as well as an advisor to the CEOs of MGH, Mass General Brigham (formerly Partners HealthCare), Pfizer, and many other critical US and global health and healthcare leaders in business and government—Dr. Norris has worked daily to create solutions to the increasing biothreats to the US and its allies.
These solutions include innovative strategies, programs, systems, and tools to prevent, mitigate, and control the "spread"—and its significantly harmful effects—of deadly infectious diseases on humans, animals, and plants. It's the "spread" that kills millions, either directly or indirectly.
These diseases include the 24 now known to be the most lethal, including the three most deadly, Anthrax, Botulinum Toxin, and Ebola (coming soon). Again, it's the "spread" that kills millions—whether the pathogen or its variant is born of nature or humankind, and its spread comes in the form of an attack by nature, a terrorist group, or a hostile nation. Currently, the last two concern us the most. Let us explain.
Experts generally think that there is a 10% chance per year that nature will hand us our next pandemic-sized attack. But there is a much higher probability each year that a terrorist group or hostile nation will do it. Of course, playing "Russian Roulette" with a ten-chamber revolver with just one bullet inserted is something that few intelligent and thoughtful people would do. But one would be considered reckless beyond belief if three or even four of the ten chambers had bullets in them. So, "Flying bare, without preparation, is insane."
Finally, Dr. Norris was a significant investor in the start-up company that, a year ago, invented and developed the world's first vaccine for the deadliest bioweapon: anthrax. Dr. Norris "paid the receipts forward when that company was recently sold." He invested all the funds he received into a new company, Safely2Prosperity. He plans to invest in other start-ups to fill unmet needs in the infectious disease-spread danger zone. These are now the most significant national security and defense threats to America and its allies.
Introduction
In today's increasingly uncertain world, the threat of bio attacks has become a chilling reality. These deliberate acts of releasing harmful pathogens into the environment can have devastating consequences on public health and the preservation of civilized society. While we often consider the immediate impact of such attacks on adults, examining their potential effects on our most vulnerable and valuable (they are our future) class: infants and, consequently, indirectly on adults is crucial.
No one has spoken precisely of this. But what if the first shot across our bow used to signal the reality and strength of the risk—and its resulting damage, if it materializes—of the deadly bio-warfare threat now hanging over our heads was a stealth bioattack just on America's and or Israel's infants? And worse, what if the attack is also undetectable or close to undetectable as to its source and, therefore, has little chance that it will effectively and timely be retaliated against? Bioweapons are reaching the point where they can be structured to primarily target specific age groups—per COVID-19's most significant deadly effects on older adults. Yes, this was mainly due to the elderly's diminished resistance to a particular disease like COVID-19. That is precisely the point.
A terrorist group or hostile nation could select and further structure a virus, biotic, or mold bioweapon to target "more or less" a specific class, in this case, infants, within a population of humans. Moreover, they can make the bioweapons ever increasingly stealthy from two perspectives.
The first perspective involves selecting or creating a pathogen that has a highly delayed expression of symptoms while it is simultaneously highly contagious/infectious, and the second perspective consists of choosing or creating a pathogen that has large numbers of asymptomatic carriers of the disease that are already highly contagious/infectious.
In both cases, infected infants (or other persons or infants they infect) would be placed among the targeted population, in this case, our infants, for example, in daycare, play date situations, or doctors' offices, and spread the disease aggressively throughout that population without anyone knowing it until it is too late to respond appropriately. Such initially infected infants would be spreading time bombs waiting to go off.
In This Blog Post
In this blog post, we will delve into the hypothetical scenario of a targeted bioattack on infants and explore its potential ramifications. We will examine the likely number of casualties, the impact on parents and grandparents, and the broader societal implications. By understanding these possible effects, business executives, government agency heads, and nation leaders can better prepare themselves to mitigate the impact of infectious diseases and protect their workforce, families, and enterprises, all of whom are essential to America and its allies' continued functioning as we would want and need them to function.
Two scenarios are the most important for us to discuss here.
Would a stealth attack of one or more of these types on our infants be devastating to our people? Would it not only intensely scare everyone residing in those countries but also depress them and incite their anger and willingness to revolt against the government that failed to protect their infants? This description represents one scenario.
The other scenario would be where infants are targeted first, but humans immediately were targeted next, within the turmoil that had already been created within an environment of uncertainty and massive confusion about where to go and what to do to protect workers and families, both of which groups are essential to detecting and creating a thoughtful, aggressive response, and keeping society and the economy running on an even keel, especially in areas that are critical to the national security and defense.
The Special Vulnerability of Infants
Infants are particularly susceptible to diseases due to their underdeveloped immune systems. Their immature immune responses make them more vulnerable to infections, and the severity of these infections can be significantly higher compared to older individuals. This vulnerability becomes even more pronounced when facing targeted pathogens specifically engineered to exploit their unique physiological vulnerabilities.
The Risk and Dangers of a Bioattack on Our Infants or an Authenticated Threat of One
For some, the bio-attack scenarios may seem years away. But such attacks might not be. We believe they will likely occur within the next three years, if not sooner. The world is volatile right now. And bioweapons are the last form of highly distributable "weapon of mass destruction" that is left. They will be used first. This order of selection is especially the case if they can be distributed with stealth, which way and means makes sense to be used. The use of nuclear weapons and chemical weapons, for example, mustard gas, are challenging to use with stealth. They can almost always easily and quickly be detected when in place and identified as to their source. Plus, massive attacks using nuclear and chemical weapons are uncontrollable as they spread and do not grow on their own across hundreds to thousands of miles from their initial distribution spot.
So, it is essential now to consider a bio attack's potential effects on not only humans but also one that targets our infants, either as a deterrence act or an act of massive confusion. Infants are an integral part of our lives, and understanding the impact of a bioattack on them is crucial. Almost 200 million infants (nearly two in every three people) reside in 66% of homes in America. And 800,000 infants live in 34% of households in Israel. In this blog post, we will delve into the risk and possible effects of a bioattack on our infants and explore questions such as their survival, the availability of vaccines, tests, and care, and our responsibility towards their well-being during a crisis, such as that created by a bio attack. War is deadly for everyone and everything. But if infants were the first target, as a deterrent, it would immediately be especially harsh on them.
The likelihood and potential damage of a bioattack on our infants depend on various factors. Firstly, it is essential to consider the type of pathogen involved. Specific pathogens may have a more significant impact on infants than others. Additionally, the pet's size, age, and species may play an essential role in its ability to withstand exposure to or infection by the pathogen. If infected, larger infants or younger ones might have a higher chance of survival than smaller or older ones, depending on the severity of the infection or deadliness of the disease.
If the killing of all or most American or Israeli infants were not a sufficient deterrent to end, for example, the further bombing by the Allies of a country or region "loved" by an aggressive terrorist group or hostile nation, the next step would likely be an all-out bioattack on humans. Remember, we are speaking of a stealth attack that will never or will not soon be discovered as to source. Nothing scares people more than having a loved one or loved infant threatened and then killed by a "bullet that is so small that you cannot ever see it."
There are worse things than dying for an infant because of a bioattack under scenario number two. In the aftermath of when humans are no longer around to provide care and resources for their infants, the situation can become especially dire for them. Infants rely on humans for food, water, and loving care. Without their parents, they may struggle to find sustenance and may suffer from dehydration and malnutrition for weeks before they die. The lack of human interaction can also lead to emotional distress and anxiety for our infants, who are accustomed to constant human companionship.
Assessing Potential Casualties
Numerous factors come into play when considering the potential casualties resulting from a targeted bioattack on infants. The quantity and virulence of the pathogen, the preparedness of healthcare systems, and the speed of response all contribute to the overall impact. While it is impossible to predict the precise number of fatalities, it is essential to understand the potential magnitude to develop effective response strategies.
To do this, we must multiply the number of infants residing in the US (roughly 11 million) by the probability of their being killed in the first round by a potent and well-targeted pathogen (let's assume 20%). The product of this equation is approximately 2 million infants would be killed in the first round of the attack.
Psychological Impact on Parents and Grandparents
The value, susceptivity, and intuitive nature of humans' guardian relationships with their infants make such targeted attacks or confirmed threats of such attacks of overwhelming distress to humans.
The impact of a bioattack targeting infants extends beyond the immediate casualties. Parents and grandparents, who are deeply bonded with these young people, would be profoundly affected by such a devastating event. The loss of a child or grandchild can have long-term psychological consequences, leading to grief, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The ripple effect of this trauma would be felt throughout families, communities, and nations.
Societal and Economic Implications
The consequences of a targeted bioattack on infants would extend beyond the personal sphere, significantly impacting society as a whole. The loss of the next generation's potential would disrupt the fabric of society, hampering its ability to thrive and progress.
The economic impact would be severe, as the immediate and long-term diminished workforce size and productivity and long-term healthcare costs would strain the economy and our ability to provide robust and sustainable national security and defense, which would be associated with secondary attacks and threats. The burden on the healthcare system would be overwhelming, diverting resources from other critical areas and causing a significant strain on medical professionals.
Strategies to Minimize the Impact
Given the severity of the potential effects, business executives, government agency heads, and nation leaders must take proactive measures to protect our most vulnerable people, our infants, and minimize the impact of bio attacks. Here are some strategies to consider:
Strengthening Healthcare Systems: Investing in healthcare infrastructure, including hospitals, clinics, and research facilities, helps build a robust defense against bio attacks. Adequate staffing, training, and resources ensure a prompt and effective response.
Early Detection and Rapid Response: It is vital to implement surveillance systems that can quickly and precisely detect and identify pathogens and their breadth, depth, and pace of spread. Early detection allows for a more effective response, including isolation facilities and methods, quarantine measures, treatment administration, and the development of tailored vaccines, tests, treatments, and contact tracking tools.
Enhanced Vaccination Programs: Maximizing vaccination rates among infants and the general population helps create a barrier against infectious diseases. Research and development of new vaccines should also be prioritized to combat emerging threats.
Community Education and Awareness: Empowering communities with knowledge about biosecurity measures and infection control practices helps foster a proactive approach to public health. It is crucial to educate parents on recognizing symptoms and seeking early medical intervention and notice to public health officials.
Collaboration and Information Sharing: Strengthening international collaborations and information-sharing networks allows for a collective response to biothreats. Sharing research findings, best practices, and surveillance data—and appropriate alarms (urgent), alerts (emergent), and best response practices—helps develop a global defense against bioattack.
Conclusion
The impact of a targeted bioattack on infants would be profound, devastating families, communities, and society as a whole. Understanding the potential effects of such an atrocity is crucial for business executives, government agency heads, and nation leaders as they navigate the challenges of protecting their workforce, families, and investors, thereby fulfilling moral, ethical, and legal duties while minimizing the short-term and long-term impacts of infectious diseases.
By implementing strategies such as strengthening (1) healthcare programs and systems, (2) early detection and rapid response systems at all three levels of society—enterprise, state, and national, (3) enhanced vaccination programs, (4) community education, and (5) collaboration, we can better prepare ourselves to combat biothreats. Through this collective effort, we can minimize the potential damage and protect our society's most vulnerable and valuable members. Again, they are our future.
While we hope that such a scenario never becomes a reality, it is our responsibility to remain vigilant and take the necessary steps to safeguard our infants (and future generations) from the devastating impact of a targeted bioattack. Let us unite in our commitment to creating a safer and more secure world for all.
A Public Service Announcement by Safely2Prosperity and Its Executive Chairman, Dr. John Norris
Safely2Prosperity (S2P) provides a "comprehensive infectious-disease spread risk-management solution," VirusVigilant, for business executives, government-agency heads, and nation leaders. S2P's VirusVigilant "Infectious Disease Safety Program" (like a Fire Safety Program but much more sophisticated and complex) combines a SaaS platform with customized risk management tools for overseeing add-on packages of vaccinations, testing, therapeutics, and tracking technologies, among many others. It helps these leaders meet their moral, ethical, and legal responsibilities while helping to protect and enhance workforce (and family) safety and productivity.
Thereby, VirusVigilant helps assure (it's not "insurance," but "assurance," at 1,000 times less the cost) business continuity, revenue, profits, investor and insurer protection, and the overall effectiveness and survival of the enterprise. With a focus on proactive measures, S2P offers a cost-effective, low-cost (as low as pennies per employee per month), intuitive solution for risk-managing infectious disease spread. "It's the spread that kills millions." Dr. John Norris is a former FDA COO and Harvard faculty member who is an expert in preventing, mitigating, and controlling the spread of infectious diseases. He has spoken and published often on this topic worldwide.
If you want to learn more about VirusVigilant, please contact Dr. John Norris by text at 617-680-3127 or by email at John.Norris@Safely2Prosperity.com (mailto: John.Norris@Safely2Prosperity.com). S2P's website is safely2prosperity.com (http://safely2prosperity.com/).
(c) 2024 Safely2Prosperity LLC and Dr. John Norris. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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