HAN

December 31, 2003, 18:25 EST (6:25 PM EST)CDCHAN-00177-03-12-31-UPD-NInformation on public health response in the event of a bioterrorism emergency.On Sunday, December 21, the nation\u2019s threat level was raised from elevated risk (\u201cyellow\u201d) to high risk (\u201corange\u201d), the second highest level of the Homeland Security Advisory System. The change reflects an increased risk of a terrorist attack on the U.S.At this time, public health agencies, hospitals, and clinicians are urged to be fully prepared to respond to terrorist attacks involving bioterrorism, chemical, or radiation/nuclear weapons. CDC information on these agents, symptoms of exposure and infection, treatment guidelines, surveillance protocols, and laboratory procedures can be found at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/This Health Alert Network (HAN) message is the first of several messages being sent to public health agencies, hospitals, emergency response partners and clinicians to identify CDC resources for use in case of an emergency. Each HAN will focus on a different set of hazard agents that could be used in a terrorist event: bioterrorism, chemical, and radiation/nuclear threats.2003Terrorism Threat Level Increase Preparedness, 2003Biologica