The war launched by Russia in Ukraine has created a very volatile security situation in the region. Taking into account the threat to nuclear power plants in Ukraine, as well as the fact that a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine cannot be ruled out, Latvia intends to purchase iodine tablets and distribute them free of charge to all residents or individual groups. It is already happening in neighboring Lithuania.
Inese Kaupere, head of the pharmaceutical department of the Ministry of Health, told Latvian Radio 4: "We also have the idea that we will buy [the pills] for those citizens or groups who will really need it. It was last week when the government decided such a procurement had to be carried out. We have not yet received the minutes from the Cabinet. Don't ask me for details yet, but that's the idea."
Rīga Stradiņš University's pro-dean of pharmaceutical faculty Baiba Mauriņa said that if such iodine tablets are distributed to people, it should be made known that they should not be used preventively under any circumstances. And even if there is a nuclear disaster, it would be very important for citizens to follow the instructions of specialists on the use of these tablets.
“The iodine tablets [..] are not radiation guards, they should not be used as a means of prevention because they contain a very high dose. These iodine tablets protect against only one of the components [of radiation]. Because basically one of the substances that is released could be radioiodine and then [..] the iodine binds to our thyroid glands and prevents it from attaching to radioactive iodine. But basically, radioactive iodine is not the only thing that would be released. There are many different radioisotopes,” explained Mauriņa.
The dose of iodine in supplements sold in pharmacies is very low and those can be used daily. But they can be stockpiled and taken all at once in a crisis event, said Mauriņa
Also in civil protection, iodine tablets have a role to play. Civil Protection expert, director of the Riga Stradiņš University Institute for Safety and Environmental Health, Ivars Vanadziņš, similarly pointed out – it is good if such tablets are available, but they should only be used when instructions to do so have been given.
In turn, the Ministry of Health representative, Barbara Ālīte, told Latvian Radio that the State Chancery has currently adopted an informative report on the minimum preparation measures for possible nuclear threats. At the moment, specialist discussions are ongoing, and the Ministry promises to inform the public as soon as any specific decisions have been taken.
