BELGIUM-   The European Union has announced plans to donate 5.5 million potassium iodide (KI) tablets to Ukraine, according to reports from the bloc’s executive arm.

This comes as worries about the shelling around the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant could have the potential for a rise in a radioactive release.

According to the European Commission, the Ukrainian government requested iodine pills on Friday as “a preventative safety measure ” for people who live close to nuclear power plants.

Iodine pills are already being distributed by Ukrainian authorities to prevent thyroid cancer brought on by radiation in the local population.

The bloc formed a shared stockpile of 20 million pills in April in response to worries about nuclear fallout, and five million of those pills were donated.

Many Europeans flocked to pharmacies to stock up on iodine pills while combat raged in the early stages of the conflict around a different nuclear reactor, Chernobyl.

In just one day, about 30,000 free iodine tablets were distributed in Belgium. Austria also provided Ukraine with 500,000 tablets from its national reserves.

In Germany, there are 15 million extra tablets that can be distributed in an emergency.

High quantities of radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can raise the risk of thyroid cancer in young children, adults, and babies for many years following exposure.

According to CDC, Potassium iodide can be used to help block radioactive iodine from being absorbed by the thyroid.

It is possible for radioactive iodine to be discharged into the environment during radiation emergencies, which are typically nuclear power plant accidents.

This radioactive iodine can then enter the body through inhalation or ingestion and this describes Internal contamination.

High quantities of radioactive iodine absorbed by the thyroid can raise the risk of thyroid cancer in young children, adults, and babies for many years following exposure.

Adults over 40 years old are more likely to have health concerns, such as thyroid issues, that raise their risks for negative health consequences from KI.

However, if the anticipated exposure is high enough to result in hypothyroidism, authorities or medical professionals may advise persons over 40 to drink KI.

The 1986 Chernobyl meltdown, widely regarded as the worst nuclear accident in history, still leaves wounds throughout Ukraine.

The increased alert coincides with the surrounding area of the Russian-controlled plant, which is located in the center of a conflict zone, continuously getting worse.

People who live within 35 miles of the plant are now receiving iodine pills from the government.

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