A survey of over 8,000 people living in an iodine tablet distribution area – within 50 kilometres of a nuclear plant – found that almost a quarter did not know where to find their pills.
In addition, almost three-quarters ticked the wrong answer to the question of whether children can take the pills in an emergency. In reality, the pills are particularly important for young children, the SES said on Friday.
The situation is different for those over 45, it said. However, only 7.5% of respondents knew that the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) recommends this age group should contact their doctor before taking the pills.
The SES thus wants authorities to provide the population with more comprehensive information on iodine tablets. This could happen in autumn 2023, when new tablets will be distributed to the population, the group said.
More
More
How Switzerland is preparing for nuclear escalation
This content was published on
The danger of Vladimir Putin using nuclear weapons in Ukraine is growing. Switzerland is well prepared, but not for an all-out nuclear war.
In Switzerland, iodine tablets are sent every 10 years to households, businesses, and schools within 50 kilometres of one of the country’s four nuclear plants. The last distribution was in 2014, to 4.9 million residents.
For those outside the 50-kilometre perimeter, the 26 cantons are responsible for stocking tablets and distributing them within 12 hours of an emergency – i.e. a nuclear accident in Switzerland or a neighbouring country.
When taken in time, the tablets protect the thyroid gland against the absorption of radioactive iodine, the FOPH writesExternal link (in French, German, or Italian). However, they do not protect against further effects of a nuclear accident, and are only prescribed in combination with other measures, such as “staying indoors”.
The SES is a non-profit organisation based in Zurich. It advocates a Swiss climate and energy policy which would use a supply based entirely on domestic renewable energy, it writes on its website.
Popular Stories
More
Climate adaptation
Why Switzerland is among the ten fastest-warming countries in the world
In Switzerland more people are being referred to electrical therapies or psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. Are there similar approaches where you live?
Swiss heat: parallels drawn with 2003 ‘summer of century’
This content was published on
Looking at the current weather situation in Switzerland, the private weather service MeteoNews has drawn parallels with the hot summer of 2003.
Syria: Switzerland calls for ceasefire to be respected in Suweida
This content was published on
Switzerland has condemned the attacks on civilians in the southern Syrian town of Suweida and has called on all parties to respect the ceasefire in the Druze stronghold.
Swiss reinforce ground-air defence with German systems
This content was published on
Switzerland has purchased five IRIS-T SLM systems for ground-based air defence from Germany, the Federal Office for Defence Procurement (armasuisse) said on Monday.
This content was published on
Individual deer are continuing to return to the Rosenberg cemetery in Winterthur, northeastern Switzerland, even after an eviction campaign last winter.
Hardly any interest earned on savings accounts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Interest rates on savings accounts in Switzerland have fallen significantly. The brief high in savings interest rates is over, according to a study by online comparison service Moneyland.
This content was published on
A group of around 25 men in uniforms of the Wehrmacht – the army of Nazi Germany – crossed the Wildhorn massif on Saturday and were questioned by Bern cantonal police.
Switzerland named hotspot for fox tapeworm disease
This content was published on
Diseases caused by the fox tapeworm are on the rise in Europe. Alveolar hydatid disease (AHD) caused by the parasite is rare, but the number of cases is increasing.
This content was published on
The earth shook near Mürren in the Bernese Oberland on Monday afternoon with a magnitude of around 4.2 on the Richter scale.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Government wants command centre in case of ‘nuclear event’
This content was published on
The Swiss government on Friday laid out responsibilities in case of a nuclear attack or nuclear disaster linked to the war in Ukraine.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.