If you live in the Town of Essex and previously obtained potassium iodide (KI) tablets, it's time to get new ones.
The pills, which protect people from radioactivity issues in the event of a nuclear accident, are nearing their expiry date. The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) has organized a pickup date for residents to get new ones.
New packages will be distributed on Saturday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Residents can go to the Harrow and Colchester South Community Centre in Harrow or the Essex Centre Sports Complex.
The pills are distributed to residents who live within the secondary zone of the Enrico Fermi II nuclear power plant in Michigan, which is an 80 kilometre radius.
KI pills protect the thyroid gland from absorbing radioactive iodine that may be released in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency at Fermi. They are only to be taken upon instruction by the Medical Officer of Health.
The health unit recommends storing the tablets in a safe, dry, accessible place with any 72-hour emergency kit.
"While the level of risk has not changed at Fermi 2, the regulatory framework for Canadian nuclear installations has been updated," read a release from the health unit. "While Fermi 2 is not regulated by the CNSC, the WECHU and the Town of Essex want the residents living within the primary and secondary zones of Fermi 2 to be as prepared as all other Canadian residents."
Complete information about KI pills can be found on the health unit's official website.