Guest guest Posted December 29, 2001 Report Share Posted December 29, 2001 http://wire.ap.org/APnews/center_story.html?FRONTID=NATIONAL & STORYID=APIS7GN7Q V00 DECEMBER 29, 21:35 ET Anthrax Found on N.Y. Mail Machine By LUKAS I. ALPERT Associated Press Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Traces of anthrax have been found again on a mail sorting machine that tested positive in October, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service said Saturday. The machine, at the Processing and Distribution Center, had been testing negative since October, but a new round of tests conducted Dec. 23 came back positive on one machine Friday night, postal officials said. , president of the New York Metro Area Postal Union, said he would tell employees not to return to work until the extent of the contamination was clear. ``I'm going to advise the workers to look out for their own safety because it's clear the Postal Service is not looking out for it,'' said. It was not immediately clear whether any of the more than 5,500 workers had refused to return to the building. Postal officials said that despite widespread testing in the facility — which handles 12.5 million pieces of mail each day — the third-floor machine was the only one to test positive. The machine will be cleaned and retested, but the facility will not be closed, said Pat McGovern, spokeswoman for the U.S. Postal Service. ``That's a question for the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention),'' McGovern said. ``We're not the authority on health. We need to follow the people who have the most experience in the field.'' A spokeswoman for the CDC said the agency played no role in this round of testing and was serving in an advisory position. ``The postal union has insisted that they do another round of testing, so the Postal Service used a private contractor to do the work,'' spokeswoman Kathy Harben said. Traces of anthrax were discovered on five mail-sorting machines at the 10-story center in October, but Postal Service officials said they have followed guidelines for cleanup and testing. After the first contamination in October, postal officials sealed off isolated areas in the facility for decontamination Shortly afterward, union officials filed a lawsuit seeking to shut the entire facility until the anthrax had been removed, but a judge denied their request. No case of anthrax has been confirmed among New York's postal workers, but mail that likely went through is blamed for four cases of skin anthrax in the city, all of them non-lethal. A New York hospital worker died on Oct. 31 of inhalation anthrax, but officials haven't determined the source. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 List: Happy New Year! This one is starting better than I thought it might. Looks like the postal workers are wise to the Anthrax vaccine risks. Why should anyone take a vaccine when the government wants you to sign away on any liability for them? That's just for starters. Kinda makes you wonder how many of our troops would have refused if given the choice they deserved! And the postal workers have actually been exposed!! AND aren't clamoring for Bioport's swill to be injected... Good thing they have a union and can share information quickly. There's hope after all Cute Holiday image: http://www.house-mouse.com/Eeek-Mail/images/e2000-1.jpg Gretchen List owner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 31, 2001 Report Share Posted December 31, 2001 I have no doubt that our efforts have not been in vain. Truth WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL... May we all seek and find truth in 2002... God Bless. > List: > > Happy New Year! This one is starting better than I thought it might. > > Looks like the postal workers are wise to the Anthrax vaccine risks. > Why should anyone take a vaccine when the government wants you to > sign away on any liability for them? That's just for starters. > > Kinda makes you wonder how many of our troops would have refused > if given the choice they deserved! And the postal workers have actually > been exposed!! AND aren't clamoring for Bioport's swill to be injected... > Good thing they have a union and can share information quickly. > > There's hope after all > > Cute Holiday image: > http://www.house-mouse.com/Eeek-Mail/images/e2000-1.jpg > > Gretchen > List owner > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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