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Dark Winter is the code name of a government contingency plan to contain a bioterrorist smallpox attack if (when?) it occurs in the US. Its main purpose is to limit the spread of the smallpox to a limited geographic area so that the limited amount of smallpox vaccine could be used most effectively. It involves:
1.) Complete stop to air transport within and into/out of the US. To prevent the highly contagious virus from spreading person to person.
2.) Closing of roads within the US to personal travel and commercial transport. The US would be divided into 5 zones corresponding to the New England/Mid Atlantic, "Old" South, Midwest, Southwest and Pacific Northwest. Anyone traveling from one are to another would have to prove the necessity and spend two weeks in a quarantine area. No commercial traffic from one area to another, except specially sanitized emergency shipments.
3.) Vaccination of government employees and military only. That's all they have vaccine for. To maintain order.
4.) Closure of schools, churches, shopping malls, and sports stadiums to prevent large congregations of people where the virus could most easily spread.
In a recent war gaming exercise it was found that the plan if implemented quickly could hold US casualties to an "acceptable" 20 million in the worst case attack on the New York megaplex area. Casualties would be concentrated among the young, elderly and infirm, which would at least limit the economic impact somewhat. Unfortunately the war game also showed most large urban areas degenerating into states of famine, riot, chaos, and panic reminisent of Europe during the Black Plague.
Oh the Black Plague. Did I mention that they have a usable version of that too?
FEMA. Planning for the worst. Then making it happen.
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