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Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

japantimes.co.jp

101–110 of 430 posts

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#102
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…

Unfortunately there simply aren't enough masks produced in western countries. If governments directed factories to produce face masks, like they are currently doing for ventilators, then we could have enough. And I believe most people would actually wear them if they were widely available and governments directed it.

It seems like that would cost less, and might also be more effective than shutting down half the economy?

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#103

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 a…

> Is this the beginning of the tsunami

Yes. The problem with coronavirus is that young people apparently can be asymptomatic and spread the virus around massively, which means that without mass testing they will continue to spread... and then, detection of symptomatic CV patients takes time, both in that the patients go to testing and that the test gets executed. Unlike countries which have done mass testing for weeks/months, for the US, Germany and many others the current infection counts are a momentum in time of about ~1-2 weeks past. Time in which the virus can spread exponentially, something humans are not really good at visualizing.

Shit will look grim, especially the deaths, pretty soon. Italy shows the beginnings, and they hit hundreds of deaths a day now.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#104
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…

I don't think anybody has masks to wear even if they'd like to. I certainly don't. The US surgeon general was also adamantly advising people not to buy masks over the past month. At this point, any and all masks are being redirected to hospitals, as there is a critical shortage. Paint shops in my local area have donated their entire supply to the local hospital -- the health department is encouraging people to hand sew masks to donate. If we had a surplus for every family, I'm sure things would look different.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#105

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…

I was referring to either storebought masks or homemade ones.

Literally some paper towel, wire, and rubber bands [1].

If you're willing to break out a needle and thread you can make a durable cloth one. [2] [3]

> we're also getting advice not to wear them so they can be saved for healthcare professionals!

AFAIK, surgical-quality sterilizing masks are separate from what you'd probably find in the store; you're not pulling from the same stock.

(Though I seem to recall some charity effort of people sewing masks for doctors, so IDK what the actual U.S. healthcare regulations are.)

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNjpH5lBZ8w (University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital)

[2] https://nypost.com/2020/03/20/doctors-are-now-running-out-of...

[3] https://www.deaconess.com/How-to-make-a-Face-Mask

EDIT: "Sheesh"

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#106
post #50

In Japan, people wear masks so they don't spread their germs. In the US, people want to wear masks to avoid other's germs. Totally different mindset. And in the US we are being discouraged from wearing masks because they don't block the virus from going in even though they could be keeping asymptomatic people from spreading. Well I feel duly embarrassed for not thinking that way earlier. Just ordered some cotton mask…

I do wish US politicians would tell people to go back to work, but wear operation masks.

Do you think people would actually wear them, and wear them correctly enough that it would be effective?

I don't think the US can be culturally expected to handle the situation the same way east Asia does.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#107
post #57

I’m here in japan and have been trying to find an answer to this for the past week. It has to be the masks.

In Czech Republic everyone now has to cover their nose and mouth while being outside, on a public transport or in an office. Obviously there is not enough respirators/surgical masks, so people are just sewing ordinary face masks.

It will be interesting to watch what kind of effect it will have on new infections

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#108

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…

> I'd love to have been wearing a mask every day for the past two weeks

Well, that’s the reason they are sold out, and heath professionals are desperately asking for donations.

You don’t need a mask unless you are sick. For protection you need a mask and glasses, but keeping your hands clean and away from your face does 95% of the job.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#109
post #50

In Japan, people wear masks so they don't spread their germs. In the US, people want to wear masks to avoid other's germs. Totally different mindset. And in the US we are being discouraged from wearing masks because they don't block the virus from going in even though they could be keeping asymptomatic people from spreading. Well I feel duly embarrassed for not thinking that way earlier. Just ordered some cotton mask…

I do wish US politicians would tell people to go back to work, but wear operation masks.

Where would we find operation masks? s far as I can tell they’re still sold out literally everywhere.

Re: Why is Japan still a coronavirus outlier?

#110
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…

For the elders point only if they have some disease that can impact the family. So it also makes sense their death rate is lower
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