Worried about the war in Denmark, Denmark is going to buy two million iodine tablets to protect the populations in the event of a nuclear accident near the Nordic country. The Danish health authority said so on Monday, according to Reuters.
Iodine is believed to be a means of protecting the body against the effects of nuclear radiation, such as thyroid cancer. Concerns about nuclear accidents in war-torn Ukraine, but also about Russia’s use of nuclear weapons, have recently increased in Europe.
“The development of Covid-19 over the past two years has shown us the importance of being prepared. The war in Ukraine has shown us that the world is unpredictable,” the health office said in a statement on Monday.
Denmark is more than 900 kilometers from the nearest Ukrainian border and is currently not at any specific risk, Health Minister Magnus Heunicke said. The iodine reserves would be used in the event of an incident or accident at a nuclear power plant near Denmark which does not operate any nuclear power plant. However, some Swedish and German nuclear power plants are nearby and nuclear-powered ships operate in Danish waters.
The stockpile of two million iodine tablets would cover at-risk groups including children and young people under 18, pregnant and breastfeeding women and members of emergency services under 40, the official said. health authority. People over 40 have not been shown to have a protective effect on taking iodine tablets. The Danish authorities expect their first deliveries within two to three months.
Source: Echo24
