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Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

japantimes.co.jp

91–100 of 430 posts

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#91
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Extreme testing policies wouldn’t hide exponential growth - if it is growing exponentially, you’d expect the number of people meeting the criteria to also grow exponentially.

If the number of tests administered is the limiting factor, and if you only increase the number of tests linearly in time, then case numbers would grow linear as well.

[deleted]

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can’t find masks anywhere since more than a month. Few people wear them (I would say about 30%). Granted, people have less physical contact. The real reason for the low number of cases is the lack of tests. I’ve spoken today with multiple Japanese friends and other residents, all think the government is lying and hiding it to save the Olympics. We will see the truth in a month...

agree, we will know in a month, but even if govt is lying about cases, we should be seeing a deluge of patients in the ICUs and rise in deaths and we aren't seeing that

How would you know they haven’t? If you don’t test a death for the virus, the death doesn’t show up in virus death counts. And if you aren’t in a hospitals, the deaths wouldn’t show yet.

At some point it would become too big to ignore. But is Japan there yet? This is definitely a space to watch over the next 2-3 weeks.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#93
post #5

> New tests that produce produce results in 10-15 minutes are becoming available, but even with the improved tech, under the current policy a test will only be administered in the most extreme circumstances, when people have had a fever for four days or more . This is an important factor that may indicate this "outlier" is more of a delay, rather than a reality of some exception. As a resident, I'm quite concerned ab…

Extreme testing policies wouldn’t hide exponential growth - if it is growing exponentially, you’d expect the number of people meeting the criteria to also grow exponentially.

the number of cases presenting themselves for testing follows the exponential curve. people are displaying symptoms in numbers following an exponential curve.

when the number of symtomatics become very large and saturate the testing process, the reporting will no longer follow the real curve of cases over time, only the number of test that can be performed over time.

[i meant to reply here | moved from previous reply below]

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#94
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If the number of tests administered is the limiting factor, and if you only increase the number of tests linearly in time, then case numbers would grow linear as well.

I suppose that in that case you would see an increase of deaths and also the count of respiratory illnesses(covid-19 missclassified).

yes and this would give you an opportunity to estimate how far off the mark you might be.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#95
post #78

Not so surprising. You have also the same outliers with Hong Kong and Taiwan. - In Japan, people naturally respect social distancing. Touching someone is considered rude, everyone bows instead of shaking hands and nobody kiss. - Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. They do that since way before Cornavirus and on voluntary based. - Washing hands is common, being clean (bath cult…

> Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others.

The U.S. response is absurd.

I went grocery shopping the other day, and despite clear evidence of panic (empty shelves, hurried shoppers, long lines), but not a single person wore a mask.

Somehow, everyone is too scared to go to work, but not scared enough to wear a mask.

We're on course for the worst depression in history because we don't like masks?

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#96
I’ve been wondering the same thing about Massachusetts where I live.

We have 416 confirmed cases, 58 requiring hospitalization - it’s unclear how many of those require the ICU. I know of several people who are suspected of having it but have been told to just self quarantine but haven’t been tested, so obviously the infected numbers are much higher.

Still we only had our first death yesterday. He was an 87 year old already in poor health. By this point in Italy, things were already much worse.

Is this the beginning of the tsunami, or is it possible that it won’t get as virulent here?

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#97
post #78

Not so surprising. You have also the same outliers with Hong Kong and Taiwan. - In Japan, people naturally respect social distancing. Touching someone is considered rude, everyone bows instead of shaking hands and nobody kiss. - Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. They do that since way before Cornavirus and on voluntary based. - Washing hands is common, being clean (bath cult…

> Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. The U.S. response is absurd. I went grocery shopping the other day, and despite clear evidence of panic (empty shelves, hurried shoppers, long lines), but not a single person wore a mask. Somehow, everyone is too scared to go to work, but not scared enough to wear a mask. We're on course for the worst depression in history because we don't…

No, we're not wearing masks because we don't HAVE any.

I live in Brooklyn and I'd love to wear a mask. I'd love to have been wearing a mask every day for the past two weeks.

But where exactly do you suggest I find one since they're sold out literally everywhere, and we're also getting advice not to wear them so they can be saved for healthcare professionals!

You ought to reexamine your assumptions. We love masks but don't have any.

Sheesh.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#98
post #78

Not so surprising. You have also the same outliers with Hong Kong and Taiwan. - In Japan, people naturally respect social distancing. Touching someone is considered rude, everyone bows instead of shaking hands and nobody kiss. - Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. They do that since way before Cornavirus and on voluntary based. - Washing hands is common, being clean (bath cult…

> Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. The U.S. response is absurd. I went grocery shopping the other day, and despite clear evidence of panic (empty shelves, hurried shoppers, long lines), but not a single person wore a mask. Somehow, everyone is too scared to go to work, but not scared enough to wear a mask. We're on course for the worst depression in history because we don't…

Some folks have only recently been made aware of the actual usefulness of masks. Before a couple of days ago, I saw and believed the stuff being put out by the CDC. Next time I am shopping I will have a make-shift mask on.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Almost everybody wear mask when they are sick to avoid contaminating others. The U.S. response is absurd. I went grocery shopping the other day, and despite clear evidence of panic (empty shelves, hurried shoppers, long lines), but not a single person wore a mask. Somehow, everyone is too scared to go to work, but not scared enough to wear a mask. We're on course for the worst depression in history because we don't…

No, we're not wearing masks because we don't HAVE any . I live in Brooklyn and I'd love to wear a mask. I'd love to have been wearing a mask every day for the past two weeks. But where exactly do you suggest I find one since they're sold out literally everywhere , and we're also getting advice not to wear them so they can be saved for healthcare professionals! You ought to reexamine your assumptions. We love masks bu…

Wrap a t-shirt around your face and use a clothespin to secure it. It's not perfect but from the best of my reading it's far better than nothing.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#100
post #5

> New tests that produce produce results in 10-15 minutes are becoming available, but even with the improved tech, under the current policy a test will only be administered in the most extreme circumstances, when people have had a fever for four days or more . This is an important factor that may indicate this "outlier" is more of a delay, rather than a reality of some exception. As a resident, I'm quite concerned ab…

And yet, there have only been 36 reported deaths in the entire country.

As long as you test symptomatic cases, the death count should at least be reliable, right?

That a third the deaths of South Korea (who has very aggressively contained).

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