- Officials in Aachen got permission from regional govt. to distribute the tablets
- Amid longstanding concerns in Germany over the safety of the Tihange plant
- Tablets are to prevent thyroid cancer in case of radioactive contamination
German health authorities are handing out potassium iodide tablets to residents in case of an accident at a nuclear power plant in neighbouring Belgium.
Local officials in the Aachen area received permission from the regional government to distribute the tablets as a precaution amid longstanding concerns in Germany over the safety of the Tihange plant, less than 70 kilometers (43 miles) away.
The tablets are meant to prevent thyroid cancer in case of radioactive contamination.
German health authorities are handing out potassium iodide tablets to residents in case of an accident at a nuclear power plant in neighbouring Belgium
From Friday until November 15, people under 46 can apply online for a coupon for the iodine tablets, which they can pick up free at pharmacies.
Germany plans to switch off all its nuclear reactors by 2022 and already has shut its oldest plants.
Last year, the entire population of Belgium was provided with iodine pills in case there was a nuclear accident at one of its ageing power plants.
Iodine pills have previously been given to people living within 14 miles of the Tihange plant near Brussels and the Doel plant in Antwerp.
Belgium’s creaking nuclear plants have been causing safety concerns for some time after a series of problems ranging from leaks to cracks.
The reactor pressure vessels at both sites have shown signs of metal degradation, raising fears about their safety.
Local officials in the Aachen area received permission from the regional government to distribute the tablets as a precaution amid longstanding concerns in Germany over the safety of the Tihange plant (pictured)