The prefecture denied Monday at midday any distribution of iodine tablets, contrary to information relayed by the local press.
False information. Contrary to the assertions of The Republican Easta distribution plan “ofiode stable was not announced by the mayors of the communes of the Vosges, in the context of letters sent to the inhabitants of the department. It was the prefecture of the Vosges which invalidated this assertion at midday on Monday with our colleagues from France Blue.
The prefecture explains that “this information is totally false and categorically denies the existence of such a plan at the request of the prefect”. The latter also asked the newspaper at the origin of this erroneous assertion to publish a denial.
A request that is “classic and occurs every 5 years”
According to the office of the prefect, still quoted by France Bleu, it is a mayor of a municipality in the department who “misinterpreted” a request from the prefecture. As part of the Orsec (Civil Security Response Organization) plan, the prefecture had simply asked the mayors of the Vosges to check whether the infrastructures were operational in the event of the initiation of a crisis plan in the context of a nuclear risk. This request is however “classic and occurs every 5 years”, further specify the authorities. The goal for the prefecture is to “update the distribution plan” in the event of a change.
In a press release published Monday afternoon, the office of the prefect of the Vosges confirms that “in no case was there any question of distributing iodine tablets to the population”. “For the routine updating of the so-called ORSEC crisis prevention plans, the mayors were asked by letter of July 29, 2022 to draw up municipal plans for the distribution of these tablets. (…) This is a normal update of the forecast system for managing a hypothetical crisis. »
In its article, L’Est Républicain notably mentioned a letter distributed to the inhabitants in which it was specified that this distribution would be made “in priority to pregnant women, infants, adolescents and adults under 44 years of age”. In addition, the ingestion of these tablets is not recommended for people over 60 years old. “The message of alert and information to the population on the events will be transmitted by the media and all other local means”, it was further explained.