US Embassy Gives Potassium Iodide to Citizens

[neverforget]

http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2011/03/25/u-s-embassy-gives-potassium-iodide-to-citizens/

--snip--
The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo quietly distributed potassium iodide pills to U.S. citizens this week in what appears to be a word-of-mouth operation.

A handful of Americans waited for the pills Friday at the U.S.-military-operated New Sanno Hotel, in Tokyo’s upscale Hiroo neighborhood. One person in line said he heard about the offer from a contact two friends removed who works at the Tokyo embassy. Another recipient said he found out about the program through a connection in the military and through an email from a private club that counts some of the capital’s most elite expats among its members.

They shared those details with an embassy official, who asked recipients to write how they heard about the distribution on a waiver that acknowledges they received seven free potassium iodide pills from the U.S. State Department.

The embassy said on Tuesday it would provide the tablets, known as KI pills, to its staff and their families in Japan as a precautionary measure against possible radiation exposure in light of the conditions at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.
--snip--

Interesting that they did this by "word of mouth"......

[Hannah Bell]

1. the U.S. Embassy is continuing to make potassium iodide tablets available to private U.S. citizens

Availability of Potassium Iodide Tablets
(Posted March 26, 11 a.m. JST)

As a precautionary measure, the U.S. Embassy is continuing to make potassium iodide (KI) tablets available to private U.S. citizens who have not been able to obtain it from their physician, employer, or other sources. We do not a recommend that anyone should take KI at this time. There are risks associated with taking KI. It should only be taken on the advice of emergency management officials, public health officials or your doctor. For more information about KI, see this fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control, or contact your doctor.

http://japan.usembassy.gov/e/acs/tacs-warden20110326-2.html

[jpbollma]

2. good measure

but scary. When will the other shoe drop?