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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?

#311

Post by tagrun »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #288
barry-cotter wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If we agree that masks slow the spread of disease from and to wearers then we are in clear disagreement with the Surgeon General. Masks work and the general populace should be encouraged to wear makeshift masks until such time as there are enough surgical masks for everybody or the crisis is over.

We don't agree. Masks would only help in the event that someone coughed/sneezed directly on your face but missed the eyes. Even then, removing the mask and washing your face without contamination would be difficult. Makeshift masks don't necessarily even help in that situation, become a liability when contaminated, and putting it on then removing it causes additional risk.

This is why that someone also needs to wear a mask.

Don't worry, people aren't morons and have been using masks in Japan and other countries for decades just fine.

Yes, masks can hold contaminated droplets --that's their purpose. When people don't use masks on the other hand, those droplets that would have remained on the mask now end up everywhere else, and now you have a far more spread vectors with basically everything being potentially contaminated.

Using a mask ensures that a lesser percentage of your contaminated droplets end up in other places.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#312

Post by TheCoelacanth »

objektif wrote: post #267
SiVal wrote: post #227

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

They don't do much to protect you from getting infected.

They do a lot to prevent you from infecting other people.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#314

Post by protomyth »

rendaw wrote: post #151
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…

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…

Nobody goes around hugging, shaking hands with, or kissing strangers in the US.

Depends on the part of the US. Huggers actually exist.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#315

Post by javagram »

whyenot wrote: post #306
eanzenberg wrote: post #271

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Masks absolutely help. You are told otherwise for a whole other reason: to stop hoarding masks.

This has been asserted by so many different people, but there doesn't seem to be much scientific evidence backing it up. Why are you so sure?

There is evidence indicating it helps to prevent infection and to help prevent spreading infection.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5153448/ “The overall effectiveness of vaccination and mask wearing was 9.9% and 8.6%, respectively.”

There aren’t nearly enough masks to go around for the general population so it would be reckless to recommend people in the USA wear (commercial quality) them right now due to the need for all available supplies to go to healthcare workers.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#316

Post by tagrun »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #264
joshfraser wrote: post #259

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Then why do doctors wear them in hospitals?

Surgical masks? To prevent the spread of bodily fluids.

No. You clearly have no idea how this works, and are basically an armchair health expert spreading patently false and dangerous information.

Health care workers are required to use masks to protect immunocompromised patients.

In Japan, people use masks to protect the community and goes both ways ---which is why it works.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#317

Post by darkteflon »

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…

Don’t know why you’re getting downvoted, anyone who lives here in Japan can confirm that these points are absolutely correct.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#318

Post by aaron695 »

E14n wrote: post #286
objektif wrote: post #267

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

Surgical masks are designed to prevent you spreading viruses. That is the type most people wear in Japan. N95 masks are designed to protect you.

> Surgical masks are designed to prevent you spreading viruses

That maybe true but that doesn't change the fact they help you from catching it as well.

It simply doesn't make any sense going one way is 100% and the other is 0%

And what we want is to chip away at the R0 in as many ways as possible.

And that's skipping the fact people thinking they are protecting themselves are also protecting others.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#319

Post by barry-cotter »

boomboomsubban wrote: post #292
barry-cotter wrote: post #276

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A hazmat suit is better than a respirator. A respirator is better than a surgical mask. A surgical mask is better than a tea towel/dish cloth. A tea towel is better than a T-shirt. A T-shirt is better than a scarf. A scarf is far better than nothing. Nothing short of a hazmat suit will prevent you from catching the virus but all of the above will reduce the chances of you catching it. There aren’t enough respirator,…

Removing a mask from your face will put your hands in contact with vulnerable areas that otherwise would be avoided. Additionally, if a homemade mask were to become contaminated, repeated handling could put you and others at greater risk.

Wash your hands. Wash your mask. There aren’t enough surgical masks for healthcare workers and they’re reusing them after bleaching or exposure to UV. You can reuse a dish cloth after washing it.
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