The CDC is holding presentations with terrifying names like 'Preparing for the Unthinkable' and 'Roadmap to Radiation Preparedness'

A nuclear blast.
(Image credit: iStock)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are hosting presentations later this month on what federal, state, and local governments are doing to prepare for the public health crisis that would follow a nuclear strike, Politico reports. The notice warns that "while a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps."

The briefing includes presentations with reassuring names like "Preparing for the Unthinkable" and "Roadmap to Radiation Preparedness." Other presentations at the CDC's "Grand Rounds" sessions discuss more usual topics like vaccinations and hepatitis C, Politico points out.

The CDC's briefing comes amid heightened tensions with North Korea, including President Trump's recent button-measuring competition with leader Kim Jong Un. Other agencies and organizations are also reassessing what measures are in place in case of a nuclear strike, including New York City, which is in the process of removing misleading fallout shelter signs citywide.

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.