Website Teaches Bay Area How To Respond To Bio-Terror Threats

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) - Bay Area health officials are asking for the public's assistance to test an emergency website that would help in the event of an infectious disease emergency.

The website was designed to help the public receive life-saving medications in case of an emergency, health officials said.

During an incident such as an Anthrax attack, the website would allow the public to answer screening questions in order to speed up the process of dispensing the appropriate medicine.

The site also includes information regarding where emergency medicine dispensaries are located, how people can be trained to work at these dispensaries, and how businesses can participate, health officials said.

KCBS' Dave Padilla Reports:

This screening exercise is a Bay Area-wide effort and health departments from around the region helped to create the screening questions that experts believe should be asked to prevent serious side effects from taking the wrong antibiotics.

To participate, visit www.BayAreaDisasterMeds.org and click on the "Get Medicine" tab.

Participants will be asked to print out a questionnaire and take a short survey. They are also asked to fill out a questionnaire for the people they would potentially pick up medicine for, health officials said.

The process should take around 10 minutes.

Participants are urged to log on at 10 a.m., 2 p.m., or 4 p.m. if possible, although the public can participate at any time today.

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