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Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

japantimes.co.jp

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Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#261

Post by barry-cotter »

why-oh-why wrote: post #244
barry-cotter wrote: post #228

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Italy has among the highest rates of working adults living with their parents in the world for one.

And South Korea has the highest rate of soju drinkers. If you’re gonna pull a statistic out of a shadowy place, at least explain its link to the question. (For the record South Koreans drink twice as much alcohol as Italians ) https://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/global_alco...

People were going to work in Italy in non-essential industries until recently. Those workers went home to their aged parents. Countries with lower rates of working aged adults living with the elderly are likely to have higher infection rates of a particularly vulnerable age group than those where such living situations are less common.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#262

Post by unrealhoang »

GuB-42 wrote: post #246
adev_ wrote: 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…

With Japan, things are not always as they appear. There appearances are everything. They will do everything to look clean, but it doesn't mean they really are. Even the masks are a bit of a show. There is, of course, truth behind it. They don't fake when they wash themselves and clean things up, and the masks really protect others, but don't assume they all behave the same way when no one is watching. And while they…

If they only behave the same way when someone is watching then it works. Same with obedient in and faith to government, the end result is they do what the government tell them to do. Pretentious or genuine does not matter.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#263

Post by barry-cotter »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #256
barry-cotter wrote: post #217

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Indeed. Here’s the US Surgeon General spreading disinformation on Twitter. > Seriously people- STOP BUYING MASKS! >?They are NOT effective in preventing general public from catching #Coronavirus, but if healthcare providers can’t get them to care for sick patients, it puts them and our communities at risk! http://bit.ly/37Ay6Cm https://twitter.com/Surgeon_General/status/12337257852839321...

The Surgeon General is correct. Masks are for the sick.

They said masks aren’t effective at stopping people getting sick. That’s misinformation. If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them.

Saying there aren’t enough for healthcare workers isn’t. Save respirators and surgical masks for healthcare workers. Wear a mask if you’re going outside even if it’s just a tshirt covering your face.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#264

Post by boomboomsubban »

joshfraser wrote: post #259
boomboomsubban wrote: post #243

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you are sick, masks are an effective way of preventing others from catching it. If you are healthy, masks do not prevent you from getting sick. It's a fairly easy misunderstanding to make.

Then why do doctors wear them in hospitals?

Surgical masks? To prevent the spread of bodily fluids.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#265

Post by nicoburns »

catalogia wrote: post #64
nicoburns wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the masks make the most difference when the sick people wear them, which is probably happening in Japan I guess.

Masks on sick people probably have the most impact when sick people wear them before they realize they're sick.

This is also a good point!

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#266

Post by boomboomsubban »

barry-cotter wrote: post #263
boomboomsubban wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The Surgeon General is correct. Masks are for the sick.

They said masks aren’t effective at stopping people getting sick. That’s misinformation. If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them. Saying there aren’t enough for healthcare workers isn’t. Save respirators and surgical masks for healthcare workers. Wear a mask if you’re going outside even if it’s just a tshirt covering your face.

>If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them

Yes, they would. The healthcare worker may already be sick, and are regularly closely interacting with people that have compromised immune systems. An illness that wouldn't slow down a nurse may kill a patient.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#267

Post by objektif »

SiVal wrote: post #227
rendaw wrote: post #151

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think this is the answer. - There's no more social distancing in Japan than in the US. Nobody goes around hugging, shaking hands with, or kissing strangers in the US. Trains are still packed. - Most public bathrooms don't have soap and I've rarely seen people wash their hands after using the bathroom anyways. - People don't listen to the government - most people I know are arranging or participating in flower…

I agree with every point you're making, so I wonder if it isn't just one big factor: lots of people routinely put on masks at the first suspicion that they might be sick, even before they're sure. They just go ahead and do it just in case. And they do this all the time, so there's no delay due to self-consciousness or unfamiliarity or having to go buy a mask. It's just ordinary life. Like taking shoes off in the hous…

But we are being told that masks don't hep with prevention. Do you mean that sick ones do that not to spread?

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#268

Post by bluGill »

maxerickson wrote: post #37
ttsda wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I live in Portugal and some producers are being told to make disinfectant out of drinking alcohol. I assume the same is being done with mask production, or will be done. The same is happening with alcohol in other European countries, I don't know about the US.

There's places doing it, but not by mandate. With the amount of ethanol produced for fuel in the US, it's the other ingredients and packaging that would be the capacity limit.

With the Russia - Saudi Arriba oil war going on ethanol producers are caught in the crossfire and have no problem supplying all the ethanol sanitizer users could want. (I don't think they are happy about it considering, but they are eager to corner this new market even if it only lasts for a few weeks)

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#269

Post by objektif »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #266
barry-cotter wrote: post #263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They said masks aren’t effective at stopping people getting sick. That’s misinformation. If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them. Saying there aren’t enough for healthcare workers isn’t. Save respirators and surgical masks for healthcare workers. Wear a mask if you’re going outside even if it’s just a tshirt covering your face.

>If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them Yes, they would. The healthcare worker may already be sick, and are regularly closely interacting with people that have compromised immune systems. An illness that wouldn't slow down a nurse may kill a patient.

Are you saying masks dont help in preventing ingestion of airborne viruses? That sounds like horse shit. Yes you can still get sick by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your face...

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#270

Post by lmz »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #266
barry-cotter wrote: post #263

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They said masks aren’t effective at stopping people getting sick. That’s misinformation. If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them. Saying there aren’t enough for healthcare workers isn’t. Save respirators and surgical masks for healthcare workers. Wear a mask if you’re going outside even if it’s just a tshirt covering your face.

>If they weren’t effective at reducing infection healthcare workers wouldn’t wear them Yes, they would. The healthcare worker may already be sick, and are regularly closely interacting with people that have compromised immune systems. An illness that wouldn't slow down a nurse may kill a patient.

Have you read this article? https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/17/opinion/coronavirus-face-...

> Third, of course masks work — maybe not perfectly and not all to the same degree, but they provide some protection. Their use has always been advised as part of the standard response to being around infected people, especially for people who may be vulnerable.

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