Postal workers urged to get tests, treatment

Friday, Oct. 26, 2001 | 9:31 a.m.

Las Vegas Postmaster Tom Peterson is encouraging any of the valley's 3,000 postal workers who exhibit flu-like symptoms to be tested for anthrax exposure and, if necessary, take the antibiotic Cipro as a precaution.

So far, no local parcels or letters have been tainted by deadly anthrax bacteria. But Peterson said Thursday that there have been about six pieces of mail daily in Las Vegas that have aroused postal suspicions, including packages containing white powder.

The anthrax cases, hoaxes and false alarms that have swept the nation this month have also caused local post offices to lose business. Peterson said valley post offices, which normally handle about 2 million pieces of mail daily, saw that figure drop by 5.3 percent last week, or 106,000.

"Our employees are fearful and definitely anxious, and they're observing the mail far more closely," Peterson said. "They're the first line of defense, and they're looking out for the customers. But they're also angry that the postal service is becoming the primary victim in this whole thing."

The U.S. Postal Service's three local medical clinics for employees normally issue free flu shots each December. Peterson, said, however, that they will begin giving those shots next week with the hope of preventing employees from developing the flu.

The Clark County Health District has warned that people should not take Cipro needlessly, as people could build a resistance to the antibiotic.

But any postal employee who is currently suffering with flu-like symptoms is encouraged to go a postal clinic for a free anthrax test and to take Cipro if necessary, Peterson said. He said the same advice extends to employees who do not get flu shots but may become ill in the future.

"If we minimize the number of our people who get the flu, it will make our employees more comfortable," Peterson said.

Two of the three Americans who died from anthrax this month were postal workers in Washington. Two other Washington postal workers are undergoing treatment for inhalation anthrax.

As a precaution, the postal service has purchased 86 million pairs of gloves and 4 million masks, which it is distributing nationally to its workers. Peterson said local mail processing employees already wear gloves, as do some front counter workers, relying on local postal stockpiles.

Few local postal workers are wearing masks, however.

"It's because they feel they aren't that comfortable," Peterson said.

He said postal customers who mail baked goods or other products containing powder could help by marking the outside of the package with the type of item containing the powder.

An example of how that could have averted plenty of grief occurred Thursday, when local postal workers discovered a package that was leaking white powder.

The concerned workers placed the package in plastic and took it outside, where they discovered it contained a gingerbread house, Peterson said.

"To us there is no such thing as a hoax," he said. "We're taking it all seriously."

The Postal Service said individuals should be suspicious of any mail that is from someone they don't know, sent to someone else no longer at their address or handwritten with no distinguishable return address.

Other suspicious mail can include pieces that are lopsided and lumpy, sealed with excessive amounts of tape, marked with restrictive endorsements such as "personal" or "confidential," or laden with excessive postage.

Customers are warned against handling letters or packages that they believe may be contaminated. They also should not shake, bump or sniff suspicious pieces of mail.

Any suspicious letter or package should be reported to local law enforcement authorities.

Peterson said he believes the Postal Service would ultimately spend billions of dollars nationally on precautionary measures in an attempt to make mail safer. He said that will include an estimated $1 billion for detection equipment designed to irradiate harmful elements from packages. He said he hopes such machines will be in Las Vegas post offices by next year.