美国人民也抢“盐”：担心核辐射 碘化钾脱销

Supplies of potassium iodide, a preventive against radiation poisoning of the thyroid gland, were running low Monday at some manufacturers, as Americans sought protection amid fears that radiation from Japan could head to the U.S.
在美国一些地区，由于害怕日本的核辐射波及，人们开始抢购有防辐射功效的碘化钾，导致碘化钾供应量开始吃紧。

One leading supplier, Anbex Inc., quickly sold out of its supply of more than 10,000 14-tablet packages on Saturday, said Alan Morris, president of the Williamsburg, Va., company.
一家最大的碘化钾供应商Anbex Inc.在弗吉尼亚州的威廉斯堡分公司老总Alan Morris说，他们在周六就很快售完了超过一万份（每份含14片碘化钾）的的库存。

He said the closely held firm was getting about three orders a minute for $10 packages of its Iosat pills, up from as few as three a week normally. "Those who don't get it are crying. They're terrified," Morris said.
他说，他们几乎每分钟就能接到三份订货，而之前每周也只卖出去三份。“有些抢不到的人还哭了，他们很恐慌。”

The company tells callers that the likelihood of dangerous levels of radiation reaching the U.S. is low, but some callers, particularly on the West Coast, remain afraid, Morris said.
公司告诉打电话订购的人，核辐射影响美国的几率很小，但是居住在西海岸的那些人仍然很担心。

Interest is also high at Fleming Pharmaceuticals, a St. Louis County company that makes potassium iodide in liquid form. "It actually has been insanity here," said Deborah Fleming Wurdack, a co-owner.
圣路易斯县的一家制药公司也出现了抢购狂潮，这里卖的是液态碘化钾。公司的一位合伙人Deborah Fleming Wurdack说：“这的人都疯了。”

Fleming Pharmaceuticals still has supply, but it expects to run out this week, Wurdack said.
Fleming制药公司还留有库存，不过估计本周内就会卖光。

The risk is thought to be low that radiation released in Japan will reach the US West Coast at dangerous levels.
日本的核辐射抵达美国西海岸并造成严重危害的几率其实很低。

"Japan has an evacuation area of about 12 miles [19km] from the nuclear plants. Washington state is 5,000 to 6,000 miles away from Japan," said Tim Church, a spokesman for the Washington State Department of Health.
华盛顿州卫生厅发言人Tim Church说：“日本的疏散范围是距核电站12英里的地区，而华盛顿离日本有5000-6000英里远。”

Potassium iodide is a salt that stops the body from taking in radioactive iodine that can be emitted during a nuclear emergency. It fills up the thyroid gland, preventing it from collecting the radioactive material and reducing the risk of cancer, among other things.
碘化钾能够阻碍人体吸收放射性的碘，它通过为甲状腺补充足够的碘元素来防止其对放射性碘元素的吸收，从而降低致癌几率。