With all the talk about COVID-19 and the need for ventilators, it’s concerning that cities like New York are not better prepared. After 9/11, New York City received millions of dollars to prepare for a biological terrorist attack. In many ways, this coronavirus pandemic can be compared to such an event. So why doesn’t NYC, as well as other major cities around the country, have enough ventilators?

The novel (new) coronavirus named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”) is a potentially fatal respiratory disease that is transmitted easily from person-to-person.  On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared this worldwide coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.  According to NYC Health’s March 29, 2020 Daily Data Summary, there have been 33,474 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New York City, resulting in 776 deaths.

Bioterrorism is defined as the intentional release or threat of release of biologic agents (viruses, bacteria, fungi, etc.) to cause disease or death among the human population.  The only detail distinguishing COVID-19 from an act of bioterrorism is intent.  Scientific consensus is that this novel coronavirus, which emerged in the city of Wuhan, China in 2019, did so naturally.  If it were to be proven to have been intentionally released by a person or group of people, it would be identified as bioterrorism. 

Since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the threat of bioterror has not diminished.  It would be inexcusable for any elected official, particularly in New York, and especially in New York City, to suggest otherwise.  The number of threat assessment reports produced by numerous government agencies and departments, as well as studies from the private sector, all share a similar summary.  The United States of America would be woefully derelict if not prepared for biologic attacks.

How a biologic agent is released into a population can take many forms.  One week after 9/11, letters containing deadly anthrax spores began showing up at U.S. congressional offices and media companies.  Five people died as a result of inhaling the anthrax spores.  Another 17 people were infected, but survived.  While the anthrax-laced letters infected a relatively small number of people, the fear that gripped the nation was widespread.  Many Americans were scared to open their mail. 

Prior to 2001, most Americans had never heard of anthrax.  Much like the word coronavirus today, anthrax didn’t enter into our collective vocabulary until after it began killing people and dominating the daily news.  The news coverage of anthrax has subsided since, but the threat remains as potent as ever. 

Inhaling anthrax spores is the deadliest form of anthrax exposure.  Just like COVID-19, shortness of breath is a symptom of Inhalation Anthrax Disease.  And just like COVID-19, patients with inhalation anthrax may require mechanical ventilation to assist with breathing difficulties.  These patients may require a ventilator. 

Since 9/11, New York City has received tens of billions of dollars to fight, thwart, and respond to acts of terrorism.  If it was believed that COVID-19 was purposely released into the NYC subway, even the liberal media would be asking New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and New York City Bill de Blasio why New York was not prepared with enough medical supplies and equipment like ventilators to adequately respond to the attack.  They would have to explain, along with their predecessors, why they spent so much money on bullets and not enough on bandages, figuratively speaking.  Instead of political posturing and blaming the federal government for the state’s lack of preparedness, they’d be asked how many more ventilators and medical masks they would have if the threat of bioterrorism had been taken seriously.  It would be embarrassing to hear them say that nobody could have imagined such an attack.