Electronic prescriptions were centrally issued by public enterprise Centro Poliklinika in cooperation with Registrų Centras (State Enterprise Centre of Registers), so it is no longer necessary to contact any medical institution. To receive the free potassium iodide tablets, simply visit one of the pharmacies on the list, show your identification and collect them.
Residents who have recently declared their place of residence in Vilnius can pick up the potassium iodide tablets in pharmacies from 18 October. The prescription will be valid for 30 calendar days, so residents are asked not to delay.
The expiry date of the new batch of potassium iodide tablets is 31 March 2025. Potassium iodide is centrally purchased by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Lithuania and distributed to municipalities.
In the case of individuals who declared their residence in Vilnius by 31 December 2020 but did not collect the potassium iodide tablets according to a previous prescription, the prescriptions will not be renewed at this moment. The prescriptions allowed residents to collect pills for up to 9 months. Additional prescriptions will be issued in March this year.
‘We recommend that those who have just declared their residence take potassium iodide from pharmacies as soon as possible. Let’s be responsible for our safety and take advantage of the opportunity to get potassium iodide free of charge’, said Modestas Rudys, Head of the Civil Protection Department of the Vilnius City Municipality.
It is a reminder that potassium iodide tablets prevent the thyroid gland from being damaged by radioactive iodine. These tablets should only be used after a special notification from the Ministry of Health. Timed intake of potassium iodide blocks saturates the thyroid gland with stable iodine, and thus prevents the accumulation and damage of inhaled radioactive iodine.
In the event of a nuclear accident, no other iodine preparations – such as spirit solutions of iodine, iodine sprays for the treatment of oral mucosa or dietary supplements with iodine – protect the thyroid gland.
Vilnius residents are provided with potassium iodide tablets before the start-up of the Astrava nuclear power plant – preventive measures are intended for people living up to 100 km away from it.
Residents who have declared their place of residence in the Vilnius district must contact the Vilnius district municipality regarding the procedure for collecting potassium iodide tablets.
For more information: jodas.vilnius.lt
