There seems to be a mild case of panic in some quarters about the potential threat of nuclear radiation from the troubled Japanese nuclear reactors.

In fact, health stores all around the country are reporting that they are completely sold out of potassium iodide as U.S. consumers have been frantically buying up the supply.

In a televised speech yesterday, President Obama reassured the US public that there is no need to panic:

“I know that many Americans are also worried about the potential risks to the United States.  So I want to be very clear:  We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the United States, whether it’s the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific.  Let me repeat that:  We do not expect harmful levels of radiation to reach the West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska, or U.S. territories in the Pacific.  That is the judgment of our Nuclear Regulatory Commission and many other experts.

Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and public health experts do not recommend that people in the United States take precautionary measures beyond staying informed.  And going forward, we will continue to keep the American people fully updated — because I believe that you must know what I know as President.”

Further, the U.S. Nuclear  Regulatory  Commission issued the following statement:

“Given  the  thousands  of  miles  between  the  two  countries,  Hawaii,  Alaska,  the  U.S.   Territories  and  the  U.S.  West  Coast  are  not  expected  to  experience  any harmful  levels  of   radioactivity.”

I suppose it is natural to fear the effects of radiation from such a disaster. However, I don’t think this event is going to keep me from any travel plans, or even from barbecuing in my backyard.

What are your thoughts?