8 Ways To Protect Yourself From Biological Agents

The world today is more dangerous than ever before. It seems as though every time you look at the news, you see the aftermath of another senseless tragedy. With terrorism becoming more and more commonplace, you’ve probably heard phrases such as biological agents and wondered how you could possibly protect yourself. In this article, we will discuss what biological agents are, and then share ways that you can protect yourself from becoming infected by a biological agent.

There are many names for biological agents, such as bio-agents, biological threat agents, biological weapons, and biological warfare agents. Whatever you want to call them, they are very dangerous weapons that can cause serious illnesses or even death to those who are infected. Biological agents come in many forms, but most often they are in the form of a parasite, fungus, or virus that can be used as a weapon during an act of war or terrorism. A terrorist attack using biological agents as a weapon is known as bioterrorism.

In an act of bioterrorism, viruses are intentionally released in order to cause illness, incapacitation, or even death to those who are exposed. Exposure to biological agents can happen in a number of ways, including physical contact, droplet infection, and aerosol infection. Usually, biological agents are selected based on their ability to be mass circulated.

Biological agents are put into three different categories which are ranked by the severity of their effects on individuals and on society as a whole:

Biological agents in Category A are considered to be of high priority because of their extremely dangerous nature. Biological agents in this category have the potential to lead to serious illness, incapacitation, or even death. Worst of all, these biological agents pose a serious risk to national security because of how easily and quickly they can be transmitted or passed from person to person.

Category A diseases and viruses include:

Category B agents are less of a concern than Category A agents and include epidemics such as water supply threats and food safety threats.

Category C biological agents are diseases, viruses, and infections that are already relatively common but have the potential to be purposely abused during biological warfare such as the H1N1 virus and HIV or AIDS.

Of course, getting your flu shot won’t protect you from every form of the flu, but it can protect you from the most common flu virus strains that are going around during any given year. Getting your flu shot can help you fight off a virus more efficiently if you do happen to get infected. This is not something to take lightly in the event of an act of bioterrorism.

This is especially recommended for those with respiratory problems such as asthma, those with diabetes, the elderly, and anyone with an inhibited ability to fight off infection. Getting a pneumonia vaccine might be the difference between life or death if exposed to a biological agent.

Enter your text here...It sounds obvious, but it’s important to keep your hands clean, especially before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Make sure to wash your hands after every time you use the restroom, pet an animal, or touch something that might not be clean. Make sure to properly wash your hands with soap for at least 15-20 seconds.

Since you might not always be able to access soap and water, carrying hand sanitizer and using it often can help prevent the spread of germs, especially if you use it before you eat or touch your face.

It might sound obvious to avoid touching a dead animal, but some people have jobs that require them to move dead animals for one reason or another. To properly protect yourself, make sure to use heavy-duty gloves to prevent being directly exposed to the bodily fluids of the animal.

Make sure that any potentially contaminated material such as gloves, masks, tissues, hypodermic needles, or anything contaminated by bodily fluids are disposed of properly. Many locations have approved bio-hazard receptacles for proper bio-hazard disposal, but if that isn’t an option, a sealed and clearly marked bag is a decent alternative.

Although the news can be depressing, it’s important to be aware of what’s going on out there. Keep your eyes and ears open for news of possible bioterrorism. If you hear reports of an outbreak on the other side of the world, don’t assume that you are safe. Air travel has made it easier than ever for infections and viruses to spread.

If you have symptoms that mimic that of a dangerous disease or virus, don’t take any chances. Some viruses can kill their victims in as little as ten days after exposure. If you’re concerned about your symptoms or those of a loved one, seek medical attention immediately, especially if there is an outbreak already occurring. You would much rather be safe than sorry when it comes to serious diseases and viruses.

lt can be scary to think of terrorism and the potential of biological agents affecting you and your loved ones, but it’s important to prepare for the possibility of it happening. The best thing that you can do to avoid becoming infected by a potentially deadly virus is to use common sense and err on the side of caution and not take any unnecessary risks.