nuclear-news

US Hospitals are ok with sending home patients, who are irradiating family members and sometimes the general public through their breath, urine, etc. But, they don’t want them to come back to the hospital who made them radioactive! Of course, it is not the fault of the health-care workers. But, neither is it the fault of the hapless person who may be unknowingly exposed to high levels of ionizing radiation, nor the hotel worker who may have to clean-up after them, unknowingly exposed to high levels of ionizing radiation.

Today, a Pennsylvania Emergency Room reported an “Unplanned Contamination” “event” to the US NRC. How much were other people in the ER exposed to, before it was discovered that the person had been treated with radioactive I 131? The healthcare workers probably only stayed near the patient for a few minutes. How long were other patients exposed? The person…