Overview
- The interview-based guidance, which outlets republished Thursday, centers on shutting off home ventilation and sealing doors and windows to slow fallout from entering.
- Kathryn Higley advises people to get inside and stay inside, favoring brick or concrete buildings with few windows or basements for stronger protection than staying outdoors.
- The CDC says those near a blast should turn away and shield their eyes, drop face-down with hands under the body, and cover the mouth and nose with a cloth if possible.
- If caught outside, remove outer clothing and wash exposed skin, and health officials caution against using hair conditioner because it can bind radioactive particles to hair.
- Experts note that harm varies by the bomb’s size and location, with studies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki showing effects fall off quickly with distance, and nine countries currently hold nuclear weapons.