NYC DOH hotline Q&A on HVAC cleaning protocols and asbestos,

NYC 9/11 Public Portal Document

Doesn’t it take only one fiber of asbestos lodged in a lung to cause disease, and if so aren’t we all at increased risk for disease? Studies of lung diseases caused by asbestos indicate that affected populations were exposed to large amounts of asbestos for long periods of time.

• Don’t we risk inhaling asbestos even if we wet clean and HEPAvac since the small fibers escape? Cleaning up small amounts of material using wet methods and HEPAvacs take into account the need to remove fibers of all sizes. A HEPAvac is designed to capture small fibers.

• Can toddlers (babies) ingestZinhale small asbestos fibers if they crawl on the rugs and floor (even though they have been cleaned)? Cleaning surfaces regularly greatly reduces the risk of any possible contamination. No one can provide any absolute guarantees about this or many other types of environmental exposuresjbwtAve can only urge parents to keep their floors clean.

D. Communication with Local Health Providers cr>^ • Doctors are prescribing antibiotics for the WTC cough. Is this as the proper treatment? Antibiotics are useful for treating bacterial infections. Antibiotics are not recommended in most cases for allergies, viruses or for treating symptoms of respiratory irritation, unless there is an underlying bacterial infection.

• What advice is the Health Department giving to local doctors? The DOH is working with physicians in the community to provide them with information on environmental monitoring and potential health effects. These health care providers include individuals working in schools, the fire department, police and other uniformed services. The DOH is available to answer physician’s specific questions on environmental exposures and known health effects.

• Is anyone collecting information from local doctors about the patients they are seeing? Most of the information being collected is on workers, particularly those who were first responders or worked directly at the WTC-site.

• Are there recommendations for taking supplements to offset the effects of the dust in air? Herbal supplements, kelation therapies and other

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