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Local News - October 2002 |
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Anti-radiation pills to be distributed KI pills will be offered to residents near McGuire By ALICE SMITH, LTN Staff Writer October 2, 2002 - Local health departments will soon begin passing out anti-radiation pills to residents living near McGuire Nuclear Station. The Potassium Iodide (KI) pill will be distributed to residents living within the 10-mile emergency planning zones, around McGuire, as well as Catawba Nuclear Power Station, according to a press release from Maggie Dollar, Lincoln County Health Department director. The pill should be taken in the event of a nuclear release at one of the plants. The Nuclear Regulation Commission is offering KI free of charge to residents who want it. Health departments in Catawba, Gaston, Iredell and Mecklenburg counties will also distribute the drug. KI protects the thyroid gland from one form of radiation, according to the release. It does not provide protection from full body irradiation or other radioactive elements that may come from a nuclear power plant release. An actual release would likely contain many types of radiation that could affect other bodily organs. The pills will be passed out Oct. 19 and 22, and locations will be announced Monday. A KI planning team consisting of representatives from the East Lincoln Betterment Association, the Red Cross, Emergency Management and the recreation department has been formed, Dollar said. This team will plan the distribution sites. These sites will be manned by volunteers from the east Lincoln area. East Lincoln resident Billy Hartis said the pill distribution is a good idea. “If they give out the pills, I’d like to have them,” Hartis said Tuesday. KI is a type of salt that is added to table salt to make sure people have sufficient iodine in their diets to maintain normal healthy thyroid function. It also protects the thyroid in the event of a radiological emergency. If taken at the right time, KI blocks the thyroid gland’s uptake of radioactive iodine, which reduces the risk of thyroid cancer. Even if the pill is taken, evacuation of the area is essential, according to the Food and Drug Administration. KI is considered safe for most people. It can, however, cause minor side effects such as gastrointestinal disturbances and rashes. Based on FDA adverse reaction reports, the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements estimates an adverse reaction rate of one in 1 million to one in 10 million. Sherrills Ford resident Terry Estes said she might be hesitant to take the KI pill. “I think I would want to talk to my doctor before I took anything,” Estes said. “I think a lot of people would do that.” Anyone who is unsure if they can take KI should talk to their doctor, health officials said. North Carolina is one of many states that accepted NRC’s offer of free KI tablets. According to the State Department of Health and Human Services, North Carolina officials decided to distribute KI after reviewing its effectiveness in preventing thyroid cancer. Denver resident Bobby Armstrong has lived hear McGuire for many years. He tries not to be overly concerned with the possible dangers of living near a nuclear power plant. When the pill becomes available, Armstrong will pick it up. “It sounds like a good idea to have pills in case of a problem,” he said. However, he doesn’t let fear of a nuclear accident disrupt his life. “I think about it, but I try not to worry about,” Armstrong said. “And I’m not going to move to the mountains to get away from it.” The 10-mile McGuire emergency planning zone is roughly within these boundaries:
For more information on KI and radiation, go to http://www.dhhs.state.nc.us/ and click on “About Potassium Iodide distribution.”
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© 2001 Lincoln Times-News |
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