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© KYODOTokyo, other areas lift restrictions on eateries amid virus resurgence worries
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Good
It's over thanks to the effective work of effective government and forward-thinking citizenry.
USA and UK should be taking notes!
BackpackingNepal
Waiting for Kodoku no Gurume Season 10. Hope they won't wear mask next time.
Yrral
Good, Japanese official are not doing the basis testing,
obladi
The vaccines, which Suga took ages to roll out, worked well. But they are all based on the original SARS-CoV-2 virus that emerged 2 years ago. The virus, unlike many of us, has not stopped evolving. It's going to take new versions of COVID-19 vaccine, distributed throughout the world, to keep us safe.
Sanjinosebleed
No longer pandemic but endemic. Japan now has herd immunity thanks to no lock downs and a large portion of the population gaining natural immunity from contracting covid. This was aided by the slow roll out of the ineffective vaccines!
Aly Rustom
Lets just wait and see what happens-
Yes, I'm hearing about a new strain of Delta called Delta Plus. Fingers crossed
Michael Machida
My question is, how is it that the numbers are so low amid the voting for the next Prime Minister here in Japan? Just a question.
Jacko
Other prefectures please.
Aly Rustom
That's a very good question...
bo
It's coming up to Flu season, so we can give Covid a little spell on the back burner - project fear and control moves on!
Sanjinosebleed
"Michael MachidaToday 08:16 am JST
My question is, how is it that the numbers are so low amid the voting for the next Prime Minister here in Japan? Just a question."
I guess conspiracy theories are OK as long as they support the mass vaccination doctrine!!??....
kyushubill
Enjoy freedom while you can.
noriahojanen
Key local landmarks such as Tsutenkaku Tower is now lit up green switching from yellow. It gives me some psychological relief.
A bit too late. The vax booster shot better get started in the next month for the frontline workers and at-risk groups.
didou
Unfortunately, there is no herd immunity here. Not so many people got covid. Asymptomatic cases are in fact not so common. It was confirmed by different studies on antibodies among the population.
didou
Kudos to those experts that have "discovered" the influence of alcohol on human's behavior.
Jtsnose
Now that the virus seems to be diminishing . . . it's my guess that people are finding a place to satisfy their desire for beef and sake . . . .
Kobe White Bar Owner
What’s happening on the 31st? Oh yer an election.
James
@Michael Machida,
I think it is a combination of things, Firstly Japanese people on the most part are continuing to wear masks even after having the vaccine unlike in other countries which reduces the chance of catching and spreading Covid19, also the discrimination that occurs against those that do get covid19 (yes it is still a thing) cause more people to avoid being tested and to only seek medical attention if they actually get sick enough. Also those that are fully vaccinated continue to increase daily and we have Herd immunity among those that have and continue to flout the rules leaving less people to actually get sick enough to report symptoms. We could be in for another wave in a few weeks as those still not vaccinated or having heard immunity start to think it is safe to mingle. But from what I have seen most people are still skeptical of the official numbers and the vast majority of people I know still have the we are on our own (JGov no use) so protect yourselves. I imagine it will likely be another year or two before the people of Japan start to let their guard down but only if numbers from overseas have begun to dissipate.
Christopher Glen
“Yes, I'm hearing about a new strain of Delta called Delta Plus. Fingers crossed”
Indeed. Alpha, bravo, Charlie and Foxtrot strains are yet to arrive
Aly Rustom
Wrong. The first strain in Wuhan has been dubbed Alpha. So if you're going to attempt sarcasm, at least get your facts straight.
Sanjinosebleed
"didouToday 08:35 am JST
Unfortunately, there is no herd immunity here. Not so many people got covid. Asymptomatic cases are in fact not so common. It was confirmed by different studies on antibodies among the population."
Wow that is a bit of an oxymoronic statement. Asymptomatic cases(which have no symptoms) are not so common???
Any evidence or just your comments?
Yiasy
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.20198796v1
Numan
@Yiasy
That was one year ago to the day. Do you understand that there is more recent information available?
@Sanjinnobleed...........This was last week! Right out of the J-gov reports!!!
Tokyo feared to have countless asymptomatic virus patients
https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14447012
So, not only is @didou correct, but it also proves that the low infections numbers getting lower and lower are not correct because limited testing by the government, and the lifting of restrictions on eateries are all for the election this week!
Where is your evidence @Sanjinnobleed?
Sanjinosebleed
YiasyToday 10:39 am JST
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.20198796v1
I think I am in love!!! Thankyou for this!
2020hindsights
Sanjinosebleed
Try reading the latest version where they conclude that they were too optimistic:
https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.09.21.20198796v2
Also not peer reviewed.
Sanjinosebleed
NumanToday 10:52 am JST
@Yiasy
That was one year ago to the day. Do you understand that there is more recent information available?
The results speak for themselves from 5% to 46% in a couple of months. Once they have had it, it is no longer Novel and natural immunity is achieved! Low numbers now back this up DUE to the low testing which has is only carried out on people severely ill not the large number of asymptomatic cases over the last 18-20 months!
Your Asahi article actually supports what I was saying so not sure what you are trying to achieve there. Maybe you need to reread what was being discussed!
Yiasy
I think it's pretty well-established that masks only help reduce the spread of viruses if 1. you are infected and 2. you actually have symptoms. There's no evidence they work as a preventative measure for infection - at best they may lesson how wide a radius of people droplets reach after an infected individual coughs or sneezes. And provide a psychological security blanket for the fearful
From the Japanese Ministry of Health Covid-19 website...
'Q6: When should I wear a facemask?
If you have symptoms such as coughing and sneezing, wearing a facemask is proved to be highly effective in catching the droplets, and therefore might help prevent the spread of viruses.
The effectiveness of wearing a facemask to protect yourself from contracting viruses is thought to be very limited. If you wear a facemask in confined, badly ventilated spaces, it might help avoid catching droplets emitted from others but if you are in an open-air environment, the use of facemask is not very efficient.'
Numan
@Sanjinosebleed
LOL!!!!! Like @hindsight said, "read the latest version" of the non peer reviewed information from the exact same source that you think is evidence.
Ha, they said that they were too optimistic!
@Sanjinosebleed....Where is your verifiable proof again?
Loki520
That is either some top-shelf sarcasm.... or Goebbels would be impressed.
didou
If you do not have any symptoms, take a regular pcr test and you will see and know you are not covid positive. Just as simple as that.
Having covid with absolutely no symptoms, and I mean no cough, no cold , no runny nose , no tiredness, something significant you notice, means you do not have covid at over 99%.
All people I know who had covid also had symptoms, all people I know who were contact cases never had covid and never had any symptoms. If a detection does occur during what we call "the window gap before the onset", the person will certainly develop symptoms hereafter. I know someone who was a contact case, was tested positive and symptoms developed after the test.
However, in all those random testing places, who are doing business, like the ones we use for a pcr test before traveling, they do not get completely zero case, but the positive rate is well below 1%.
wtfjapan
large portion of the population gaining natural immunity from contracting covid. This was aided by the slow roll out of the ineffective vaccines!
so almost 70% of citizens vaccinated with an effective safe vaccine , compared to around 1.7 million people 1.3% infected with covid. and its suddenly natural immunity lol
love to see where your scientific evidence was proven.
Richard Gallagher
Opinions rain down, purported as fact, citing dated, minimal studies that at best are inconclusive when applied to large populations and atop that are not peer reviewed.
Comparisons to small populations and geographically constrained areas are less than valid, besides lacking in any actual scientific study to cite two employed as examples: Israel a population of 9 million, Singapore 5.5 million. Japan 15 times larger in area than Israel. Singapore the same size & population as Hyogo.
The false analogy centered on alcohol and closing times ignore numerous factors. Behavior in restaurants is very different than bars and especially izakayas. As is control of inhibitions which includes use of masks and social distancing. Closing at 8:00pm, prevents workers who typically finish beyond that hour from gathering en-masse. The intentional flouting of rules and protocols was an initial factor in spreading the virus. Osaka, near Kobayashi, two music venues were a vector for spreading SARSCoV-2, which is a prime a model example.
The reason for the current reduction in the rate of infection is unknown. To cite the ever present panacea: testing is bogus, as it has no meaning unless the entire population was tested at exactly the same moment and those infected were sent into immediate quarantine and isolation along with all and any contacts. A the moment it only a tool to diagnose individuals displaying symptoms.
It would be a disaster to abandon protocols during a lull in the spread of the virus. The USA is a prime example of such a stupidity.
Tokyoite
Really wish that I could join the "anti-vax" / "fake covid" crowd as life would be much simpler.
However science and logic keep getting in my way.
Erik Morales
This will benefit food places! Keep businesses open Japan. Remove Masks please!
FtGuy2017
That is not fully correct, not just testing in Osaka city, apparently, it is also now applicable in some restaurants since 25th here in Tokyo, like for example this Sushi restaurant in Hibya (see link below) which does require already to check your proof of vaccine if you are more than 4, I cannot imagine the owner will be doing discrimination by the vaccine and having random staff checking our (still) private medical information without being greenlighted by the government or having some laws allowing them to do it.
https://yoyaku.toreta.in/mantensushi-nihonbashi/#/
Zaphod
Finally, sanity returns. These artificial time limits did more harm than good, anyway.
Zaphod
didou
....and how many cycles do suggest for that PCR test? You do realize that the result depends on that, or did you not know that?
kurisupisu
No social distancing in big cities and the cold weather will give the virus another uplift-it will be back again…
treble4punk
4 weeks later... "Who could have seen this coming?"
treble4punk
It's hard to believe that after almost 2 years, people still don't understand how masks work! ↑
treble4punk
Well, you're wrong and here's why:
Asymptomatic carriers spread covid. How in the world you do not know this by now, is truly frightening.
No one knows who is carrying the virus. You can get a false negative on a test, or be asymptomatic. Thus, wearing masks (over the nose) is the most effective means of prevention for people out and about.And please, knock it off wit this "fearful" narrative. This is only what people who have yet to experience health problems say. For many of us, already dealing with crippling health issues, we know covid will be the nail in the coffin. The way people pander this "fear" narrative sounds like eugenics.
as_the_crow_flies
It avoids them having to deal with facts, which they truly fear. They themselves are insecure about being seen as weak, that's why they are obsessed with fear. If you look around the world at the poster boys in government peddling the 'fear' narrative, you'll see what I mean.
It also helps when pushing anti-science, anti-truth policies, as anyone who opposes them must be 'cowering in their basement' or whatever the local equivalent is. This line was peddled for Fukushima ('lingering radiation fears' and 'baseless rumours', not ongoing radiation), Brexit in the UK ('Project Fear' - now a slowly unfolding trainwreck), and now with the pandemic ('I'm not wearing a face nappy' - how revealing is that? , 'cowering in fear' etc. etc, not public health based on science).
kurisupisu
Only in Japan is the danger of radioactivity played down and the fear of a virus played up…
Disco Biscuit
There is another pandemic coming. It’s called the pandemic of the unvaccinated. I have already seen fake vaccine passport papers for sale.
Here comes the reality for the non believers.
2020hindsights
kurisupisu
Well no. You just don't understand the relative dangers. Radioactivity is dangerous, but just not anywhere near you. Cocid is dangerous and probably near you. How many people were killed after the Great Tohoku Earthquake that were related to radioactivity? Many due to the tsunami. Not so many due to the nuclear meltdown. In fact a whole lot more due to Covid.
purple_depressed_bacon
Wonderful. Perfect timing as well. Everybody will be flocking to their local watering hole and congregating in groups big and small and slowly but surely, the number of cases will creep back up. These social gatherings coupled with the cooler weather will mean that we'll probably get another SoE come December. As if Christmas in Japan wasn't depressing enough...
kurisupisu
Maybe a little research is in order?
Helix
It's going to take new versions of COVID-19 vaccine, distributed throughout the world, to keep us safe.
I can hardly wait. Your excitement is contagious.
didou
If you do not have any symptoms, you can do how many cycles you want for your random testing, the result will always be the same
(contact case during the window gap is different )
kurisupisu
Somehow, ( before being vaccinated) I managed for over a year to keep myself safe from the virus.
When I wanted an antibody check in my local hospital (in Japan) to confirm my status; I was refused.
I won’t be taking any booster shots and will refuse any form of digital I’d check for the purposes of doing so…
ulysses
Good, vaccinations and mask wearing will help end this epidemic faster.
ulysses
Considering the government subsidizes 70% of your medical costs, they have the right to refuse unnecessary procedures.
Be ready to get denied access to a lot of facilities and I am sure they will be as happy to keep you out!!!
kurisupisu
@ulysses
What facilities are they?
Bit please become a drone if you like….
TARA TAN KITAOKA
Pls be cautious.
ulysses
You’ll know soon.
Biting drones is not a thing for me.
Thry are difficult to catch!!!!
Fact is most of the bravado from the antivaxxers disappears once they realize the only way to move forward is to comply.
Sheikh Yerboaby
Nonsense.......many "forward thinking citizens" simply ignored the pretend lockdowns and carried on as normal....I was one of them. There is certainly another thread to this virus that we aren't seeing as to why it spreads so quickly in some places but not others. I feel the biggest thing in Japan's favour is that there is no custom of hugging and shaking hands....at least not like western countries....bowing as a greeting maintains a little distance.
Sheikh Yerboaby
Still with this nonsense........it didn't stop highest infections before the vaccines were out......masks no people who do not exhibit symptoms is a simple placebo policy to allow people to feel they are being proactive. No one likes the feeling of something being outwith their control, masks were a quick and simple way for governments to tampen down the hysteria in the early days of the pandemic.
Zaphod
didou
Incorrect. Most infected people, as you should know, have no symptoms, so they will test positive, which is completely irrelevant.
Also, the PCR test detects minuscule virus particles which can easily hang around and have absolutely no effect (I am sure you know that a certain amount of virus is required for any infection to be relevant).
So, as I said before, if you run enough cycles on those PCR tests, most people will eventually be "positive", meaning some virus DNA has been detected, which is a completely meaningless information.
I am sure you also know that the manufacturers of the PCR test kits point out that the test is meant for lab use and not for population testing. So why make these claims.