County Supervisors Create Bioterrorism Task Force

In response to growing concerns about a possible biological attack, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday created a task force on bioterrorism preparedness to advise it on how to combat the threat.

Acting on an emergency motion by Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, the board called for a group of county medical experts, academics and others to propose steps that could be taken to boost readiness.

The supervisors also directed their health department to prepare a public information campaign on bioterrorism, and to encourage private hospitals and doctors to look for symptoms of an attack.

“Los Angeles County has been a leader in disaster preparedness in this nation,” the motion stated. “We must now ensure that we are equally ready to identify and respond to any potential acts of bioterrorism.”