In light of recent events involving delivery of infectious agents through the U.S. mail, you should be aware that we know of no threat against any Johns Hopkins-affiliated person or entity. The delivery of a contaminated letter to Johns Hopkins is believed to be unlikely.

Nevertheless, as a precaution, we want to offer the following advice on handling suspicious mail. This advice is based on guidelines from experts, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. You can apply the same advice to handling of mail delivered to your home.

If you come in contact with a package or piece of mail that appears suspicious, you should

1- not open or handle the package or mail

2- put the item down gently

3- isolate the item if possible

4- call your campus Security office immediately (or call local police, if you are at home)

Packages with no return address or postmarks that don't match the return address, or an envelope that feels like it contains a substance or is oily on the outside, may be considered suspicious. If a powdery substance is discovered upon opening a package or envelope, you should

1- close it carefully

2- place it in a trash bag if possible and tie off the bag. Set the bag aside

3- if a trash bag is not available, cover the item with a waste basket or box

4- do not breathe in the substance

5- do not attempt to clean up any of the substance that may have spilled

6- leave the room and close the door, or keep others away from the area

7- wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water

8- call your campus Security office immediately (or call local police, if you are at home)