MANILA, Philippines — The aftermath of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant explosion in Japan last Friday caused a radiation scare in neighboring countries, including the Philippines.
But how fatal is radiation to one’s body?
A research made on the Website, www.disabled-world.com
Ngai Wai-tat, director of the Hong Kong Baptist Hospital Nuclear Medicine Center, disclosed that low exposure to radiation may cause cancer and genetic mutation, while acute exposure in a short
period of time, can lead to skin damage, and damage to the central nervous system or death.
He said that each year, the normal exposure of radiation is about 0.002 Sieverts.
But what caused the radiation scare was after Japanese officials admitted that the explosion spewed doses of up to 0.4 Sieverts within the vicinity of the nuclear reactor – which is 200 times the annual intake of radiation for a person staying in a normal environment.
Ngai said radiation that have attached to clothing or skin can be washed off. However, irreversible damage may be inflicted if large amounts of radioactive materials are inhaled.
Research conducted at the Hong Kong Observatory said that if radiation exposure exceeds 0.1 Sieverts, there will be increased chance of cancer, mutations, and deformed babies.
A one-time exposure to 0.5 to 0.75 Sieverts of radiation can cause nausea and vomiting within hours, followed by hair loss.
While, an exposure to one Sievert can lead to hemorrhaging in weeks.
Fatality increases while one is exposed to levels higher than four Sieverts in two months.
Among other symptoms include fatigue, fainting, bruising, diarrhea, weakness, bloody stool, dehydration, mouth ulcers, vomiting of blood, sloughing of skin, open sores on the skin, skin burns with redness and blistering, ulcers in the esophagus, stomach or intestines, and inflammation of exposed areas with redness, tenderness, swelling and bleeding.
While the Web site, www.disabled-world.com, showed that treating someone who is exposed, and sick due to radiation should be conducted by a doctor, but first aid can also be made.
But as a protection, be sure to use a protective gear when conducting the first aid.
Check the person’s breathing and pulse and start CPR if necessary. Remove the person’s clothing and place it in a sealed container to stop contamination.
Vigorously wash the person’s body with soap and water, then dry the person’s body and wrap them with a clean blanket.
Call for emergency medical help, and report the radiation exposure to emergency officials immediately.
Medical experts said that taking potassium iodide (KI) pills, a salt of stable iodine, may alleviate the impact of exposure of radioactive iodine, which are released after a nuclear explosion.
The radioactive iodine will be absorbed by the thyroid gland of those exposed and may develop cancer or abnormal growths later on.
The KI pills may help lower the risk of those exposed in acquiring thyroid disease later in life.
However, KI pills only protect the thyroid glands and do not provide protection from any other radiation exposure – a single dose of this protects the thyroid gland for 24 hours.
The Web site, www.myhealthbeijing.com, noted that KI pills should only be taken in 130 or 65 milligram tablet or oral liquid solution upon the advice of emergency management officials.
Taking higher doses of KI more than the recommended dosage can cause severe illness or even death.
The Indiana State Department of Health further guides people who may be exposed to radiation to follow the directions of local officials.
An advisory of going to “shelter in place” means to stay in your home or office or to a safe location. Close and lock all doors and windows. Turn off fans, air conditioners, and forced air-heating units that bring in air from the outside.
Only use units to re-circulate air that is already in the building.
Close fireplace dampers. If possible, bring pets inside. Move to an inner room or basement. Keep your radio tuned to the emergency response network or local news to find out what else you need to do.
When advised to evacuate, secure a survival kit which would contain a flashlight, first aid kit, sealed food and water supply, can opener, essential medicines, batteries and portable radio, and cash.
The Hong Kong Observatory suggested that precautionary measures should start to come in place if radiation exceeds 5,000 microsieverts.
And Japanese officials disclosed that Tokyo detected a level of radiation of about 8,000 microsieverts.
Although the level was considered low in terms of risks to health, this is more than 20 times the level of about 0.035 microsieverts detected in a normal day.
Fears of another Chernobyl accident circulated after the Fukushima nuclear explosion, just when the people of Ukraine are preparing to mark the 25th anniversary of the world’s worst nuclear accident, which killed an estimated 93,000 people, and 500,000 deaths so far since the Chernobyl nuclear plant exploded in April 26, 1986.
source: mb.com.ph
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