steve monroe runs the division of high consequence pathogens. is it possible the small pox can still grow? >> it's possible, but we do not know for sure if the small pox virus in these samples will still be able to grow in the laboratory. >> reporter: what is your guess? >> i would not be surprised if one or more of these samples contains live, growing small pox virus. >> reporter: but then you're going to destroy it and it will be gone forever? >> we will destroy it and it will be gone forever. >> reporter: it was july 1st when a lab worker at the national institutes of health found the small pox vials while cleaning out a storage refrigerator. the vials appeared to date back to the 1950s. from that moment, the c.d.c., n.i.h., f.b.i., f.d.a. and world health organization worked closely to develop a plan of action. the white house was immediately informed that a potential agent of bioterrorism had been found. what was the security involved in moving the samples from bethesda, maryland, to the c.d.c.? >> the security involved the cooperation of t

and all one language. >> let me come to you steve monroe down at centers of disease control. given what laurie helped me understand, given what we're hearing out of sierra leone the potential that these are nations not prepared in terms of also medical training. from your perspective at the cdc then, obviously, we can't wait for complete social and political justice to address this infectious disease, so, how do we begin to do it in these contexts that are pre-existing? >> i think as both of the previous speakers have pointed out one of the big needs right now is communication and education. both for the health care workers, for the community at large and also for family members. the other major route of transmission is person-to-person and family members caring for a sick loved one in their home or preparing bodies for burial. we need to educate people that they need to get people with symptoms into one of these isolation facilities as quickly as possible and then educate them on the practices for safe burial. >> so, when you talk about public education, particularly public