Radiation fears cause run on iodide pills in North Texas

[sonias]

WFAA 3/16/11

Radiation fears cause run on iodide pills in North Texas

DALLAS — No matter how small the possibility of radiation from Japan actually reaching the West Coast of the United States — much less here in Texas — but that hasn't stopped North Texans from pushing the panic button.

News 8 checked with several pharmacies on Wednesday and they are already out of stock of potassium iodide, which can protect the thyroid if there are toxic radiation levels present.

But there can be a danger for people who elect to take this medicine.

If you ingest potassium iodide now — with no risk in the air here — you are subject to serious side effects, according to Wayne McMeans, a pharmacist at Dougherty's Pharmacy in North Dallas.

Unfortunately this is not confined to North Texas, it's happening right here in central Texas too. Too much Faux News perhaps?

:shrug:

[Lithos]

1. The pukes live and breathe fear all the time

All other things the same, you would expect their reaction to be one of fear.

L-

[sonias]

2. Kinda stupid, right?

Buying duct tape and plastic wrap to protect themselves against anthrax is certainly stupid but it probably didn't cause anyone to harm themselves. Ingesting these pills as a preventative measure will.

I would love to survey these buyers to see if they could identify Japan on a map. :crazy:

And by the way, thanks for the clean up on isle 5 - you know the dangling dupe thread. :hi:

[hobbit709]

3. Remember a few years ago when the hurricane was headed towards TX

and the local Home Depots and Lowes here in Austin sold out of plywood?

[white cloud]

4. Faux New propaganda

Bet ebay is already full of salt tablet scams

[sonias]

5. Yes indeed - they live in fear

Poor saps. :shrug:

[kentauros]

6. I don't know if you're referring to Ike or Rita,

but to be fair, at one point Rita was projected to still be a Cat.1 storm in Austin. Now I know y'all get some pretty nasty fronts through there, but they come and go in a few hours. Hurricanes last a bit longer than that ;)

[texastoast]

11. Worse.

We had to go to outside of Dallas to find a generator, and it was attached to a welder.

[FloriTexan]

7. Something else to this...

I live in north Texas and work with someone who was bragging about selling her potassium iodine tablets on ebay for quite a chung of cash to folks in California. She was complaining that she should have waited longer as they were selling for even more now. All i could think of to say, but couldn't say, was how nice it was she found a way to profit from someone else's fear by gouging them. This could explain why they are being bought here.

[sonias]

9. That reeks

The one thing I've noticed about the crisis in Japan is how that country is coming together to really help each other. They've had some run on things, but it's not been ugly like I imagine it could get here.

I listened to an NPR story yesterday where shops were trying to make sure customers understood that limiting their items to 10 would help others be able to get some. And people were complying - thinking of themselves as "all in it together". Not wanting to create shortages where other people needed it more. Taking just enough to get by, but not hoarding supplies. And shops were not taking advantage of their customers either. Prices were not being jacked up, and people in need were not being price gouged.

And then you hear the story of the person you mentioned here in the U.S. - taking advantage of the situation and making a profit out of someone else's misery - real or imagined.

God bless the capitalist USA. :puke:

[TEXASYANKEE]

8. Our "sensationalized" media

This is what happens when we have untold number of dry, warm (ie, uneventful weather) days in north Texas, meaning there is nothing constructive for the meterologists to do. The WFAA head meterologist has a "Radiation Plume Forecast" on the front page of their website. Unbelieveable. Is it really any wonder why some people are scared? I couldn't even click on the link because it made me so irritated, so for all I know it might be harmless and educational. But just seeing the link itself is going to scare people for no good reason. Radiation Plume Forecast ... Blah!

[sonias]

10. "Radiation Plume Forecast"

Are you kidding me? :wtf:

Pete Delkus and WFAA are playing the sensational media card. What jokers! :grr: