Potassium iodide tablets will be used in limited scenarios to prevent the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine that enters the body through inhalation or ingestion.
On 26 August, the EU received a request from the Government of Ukraine to provide potassium iodide tablets as a precautionary security measure to strengthen the level of protection around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant. Potassium iodide tablets will be used in limited scenarios to prevent the thyroid from absorbing radioactive iodine that enters the body through inhalation or ingestion. Responding to the request, the European Emergency Response Coordination Center immediately made available 5.5 million potassium iodide tablets through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for Ukraine, including five million tablets from rescEU’s emergency stocks and 500,000 tablets from Austria. Most of the assistance, with a total value of more than €500,000, will be delivered to Ukraine from the rescEU stockpile hosted in Germany.
Crisis Management Commissioner Mr. Yanes Lenarcic said: “No nuclear power plant should ever be used as a theater of war. It is unacceptable to endanger the lives of civilians. All military action around the Zaporizhia nuclear power plant must be stopped immediately. The EU is preemptively delivering five million potassium iodide tablets to Ukraine from the rescEU strategic stockpile, to offer protection to people in the event of exposure to high levels of radiation. I want to thank Austria for donating another 500,000 tablets to Ukraine. We will continue to monitor the situation and be ready to act, because preparedness saves lives.”
George Fellidis
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