1.   Police received orders to take iodine tablets to protect against radiation sickness.

2.   Without bottled water, hikers must use river water treated with iodine tablets, which can leave a bad taste.

3.   China has spent hundreds of millions of dollars to make iodized salt and iodine tablets available to school children and marriage-age women.

4.   People were advised to take an iodine tablet in the event of the country being hit by nuclear fallout but most Irish homes do not have the tablets.