The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management is urging islanders not to take potassium iodide out of fears over radiation fallout from the current Japanese nuclear crisis.
“Not only is there no reason for people to be taking potassium iodide, but it’s actually a bad idea given it’s possible side effects,” Cowan told the Sounder. “Even if you took the worst possible scenario in Japan, the experts are saying it still won’t have a health impact on the US.”
“As the situation at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Station evolves, it is worth highlighting to islanders that at this time there is widespread agreement by experts that there is no potential hazard to the mainland United States, even in the event of a catastrophic meltdown,” he wrote in a recent press release. “The distance between here and Japan is sufficient to ensure that any radiation that makes it this far will be well below thresholds for being a health risk.
“That said, there are a number of agencies monitoring the situation and regularly measuring atmospheric conditions. Disasters often surprise with their impacts, and it pays to stay alert and prepared, even when the potential impact seems minimal.
“There have been a number of questions received about the use of potassium iodide (KI) to protect against thyroid cancer caused by irradiation. Taking potassium iodide (KI) is not needed at this point in time, nor is it expected to be needed in the future. The risk of the medication far outweighs any hypothetical benefit related to exposure from the current events in Japan. Federal, State, and Local health authorities are monitoring the situation carefully and if there is a change in this recommendation will immediately notify the public.”
The Seattle Times recently spoke to such concerns at: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014504194_nukehealth16m.html
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