[quote=quillansculpture] # 2: I've had more PETScans than I can count.....so I'm sure the tiny bit of radiation traveling with the tradewinds won't come close to the small amounts of radioactive glucose I've had injected into my body. [/quote]
you are spot on.
A person came to my office today asking where she could buy iodine tablets to ship to her friend in California.
the issue is not whether we will receive some radiation [u]here[/u] in US (yes, we will), but will it be significant? (no).
Here are some lessons from Chernobyl:
The zone of concern may be larger than expected. I suspect that is why the US is suggesting a wider safety zone. From a [u]practical[/u] standpoint, the Japanese may just have their hands full dealing with the greater tragedy (tsunami)and simply cannot evacuate everybody.
Iodine tablets worked in Chernobyl for those who got them (or at the right time). The tablets prevented thyroid cancer for those peoples.
There have been no increased cancers in Chernobyl area, other than thyroid.
Iodine tablets do not prevent acute radiation poisoning. We may find that some workers have had that much exposure. The also do not protect against non-iodine radiation like uranium, cesium, plutonium, etc.
