Sapporo, Osaka preparing for temporary exit from travel subsidy program

Good deal they are doing it today (on a National Holiday). I liked the independent thought of Hokkaido's Governor back in the Spring.

The best outcome is if they can stop it immediately with a promise of either a full refund to those who purchased trips or guarantee usage at a later date.

It is probably challenging to stop immediately (understanding people may have made advance plans) but my flight back from northern Honshu Saturday was 100% full and from the looks there were only a dozen or so of us "working stiffs" and the rest of the folks were on a holiday of some sorts.

The suspension of the program is not a tough call but the execution has many moving parts.

Hokkaido was first in Japan to start restrictions on Feb 29th to reduce spread and they looked like a success. Then the government's efforts to keep the economy going with the "Go To Travel" campaigns let people spread Covid everywhere. Hokkaido now competes with the major metropolitan areas to the South. It's already snowing, people are indoors and no one is opening windows. Good luck to them.

WISE decision.

I wished I never have to hear another politician here saying the word” responsibility “. Suga is escaping his by refusing to call a halt to the campaign and call for restrictive measures. Koike is pointing at the national government and does nothing herself. The mayor and governor of Osaka should both have gone already after the defeat in the Nov 4th election.

of course closing down retail must be compensated but directly to the business owners and staff. Not filling the pockets of Dentsu, JTB, and others.

once again Hokkaido leads

The issue isn’t the campaign itself. The campaign has been around since summer time but the 2/3rd wave struck last week!

It’s because of:

the infected people who willingly go out and spread the virus to others. They show symptoms such as coughing or mild headache but instead of staying home ( or going to the hospital to get tested ) they go out doing their usual routine.

crowded trains

restaurants getting too careless by not wiping tables and chairs with alcohol disinfectants ( the edges and sides are never wiped )

restaurants aren’t washing the utensils with alcohol disinfectants. Heck, some aren’t even washing these properly with soap and water as you’ll find these oily and with dried food particles in them!

people having difficulty to get tested so not knowing they are infected and go out meeting friends, family and office.

having unnecessary parties in small closed spaces

people have become somewhat complacent because many don’t wash their hands regularly, wear mask ( I still hate wearing mask because of breathing difficulties but I put them on every single time that I leave my house ) or try to maintain social distances. Some people still spit outside on the roads and vomit on platforms and sidewalks after drinking.

All in all, human behavior and complacency are the causes of this spike!

Had a guy at the post office stand centimeters from me and cough-he couldn’t stand waiting in line obviously.

It is impossible to stop infections without us all living in a bubble.

Toshio Nakagawa, head of the Japan Medical Association, has said there is no concrete evidence to indicate the travel program is responsible for the recent spike in coronavirus cases, but "there is no mistaking that it acted as a catalyst."

IOW, "There's no evidence GTT is causing the resurgence. But, GTT is causing the resurgence."

Are they only removing these places as destinations? Or, are they prohibiting people who live in those areas from using the program, as well?

If only the former, will it really make a difference?