Wyoming Health Official Says No Related Risk Of Radiation Exposure in Wyoming From Japan

An official from the Wyoming Department of Health is offering advice related to ongoing concerns about the Japanese nuclear plant damaged by the recent earthquake and tsunami.

State epidemiologist and deputy state health officer Dr. Tracy Murphy says while the recent events in Japan are certainly tragic and dramatic, there is no related radiation exposure risk in Wyoming at this time and no reasonable expectation that a related public health risk will develop here.

For Wyoming residents who are wondering if they should be taking potassium iodide as a precaution due to the Japanese emergency, Dr. Murphy says the answer is definitely no. He says while potassium iodide can help protect the thyroid gland from harmful radiation in certain cases, it should only be taken if exposure to considerably elevated doses of radiation is expected.