Tokyo reports 660 new coronavirus cases; nationwide tally 1,763

Crazy high positivity rate too.

Crazy low number of tests.

Nationwide severe cases fall again no doubt due to the vaccination rollout. It’s time to concentrate on the severe cases now as we see from abroad the vulnerable are at much less risk after vaccination.

The Delta variant is more contagious but not more deadly, signs it may be less so. Unless a more dangerous variant that avoids the vaccine appears we will be fine.

ffsteve

Can you provide a citation indicating that the mortality rate maybe lower for the Delta variant please?

Iraira

No I can’t but it has been shown to be no more deadly and possibly less so. Data is not in yet, so it is not a game changer.

The Delta variant is more contagious but not more deadly, signs it may be less so

Some random bloke called Fauci seems to disagree with that second part.

"The Delta variant is currently the greatest threat in the U.S. to our attempt to eliminate COVID-19," Fauci said. He noted that the proportion of infections being caused by the variant is doubling every two weeks.

The variant, first identified in India, is the most contagious yet and, among those not yet vaccinated, may trigger serious illness in more people than other variants do, he said.

Source: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/06/22/1008859705/delta-variant-coronavirus-unvaccinated-u-s-covid-surge

This is 98 more than week prior - and the increase in number trend continues for third week running

As of yesterday 1 Jul, Tokyo has breached two barriers for Japanese stage 4 (highest category)

Daily average of new infections per 100,000 people is at 26.49 for the week (a figure of 25 or greater indicates stage 4 for this category)

The number of patients recuperating from COVID-19 per 100,000 residents on June 30 was 32, exceeding the stage 4 limit of 30

As per this report (lnk here - http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14385877) -- medical experts are warning that the rate of increase now is faster than what was observed during fourth wave - add to this new influx of thousands of foreigners from Olympics and you have a disaster waiting to occur.....

Still entirely manageable and not like lots of people are dying.

Get all those over 60s vaccinated and the fatality rate will drop.

Have evidence to back up the claims you make when commenting on a serious matter.

Misinformation or half-baked narratives on this topic are worse than useless.

Hold up a minute there! You are telling me that the claims of "falseflagsteve" lack evidence , citations or logic!? Say it ain't so!

LeeroyToday  05:31 pm JST

Get all those over 60s vaccinated and the fatality rate will drop.

Read in the Yomiuri newspaper today that on Wednesday during the cabinet meeting Suga stated that nearly 60% of the elderly have had at least one shot. Mind you, I am not sure what age he determined as elderly. But that is a very promising number. The article went on to say that this increase of vaccinations was the likely reason for the death rate and serious case rate to fall over the past few weeks. It appears that most new cases are younger people who fight Covid off much easier.

At the same time the number of tests for yesterday's testing is in.

Just barely over 6,000 tested as predicted 20% fewer than the day before like previous weeks.

How is it possible to predict nearly exactly the rise and fall every week?

I don't it is simple every Monday private testing nredumes, peek on Wednesday and slowly reduces as the weekend approaches until just the public under 2000 on Saturday and Sunday, then we repeat the same pattern.

Now yesterday was 673 cases with just over 6,000 tests, means 10% infection rate and last week it was around 7% .

So infection rates are going up despite lowering the number of tests.

The Delta variant is far more contagious and while the current evidence does not point to it being more deadly, it looks like it might cause a more severe illness in younger people than the earlier variants. It's still too early to say anything for sure, either good or bad. And, the evidence of long-term problems in infected people, even in those with only mild symptoms initially, is growing by the day. Then there is Delta+...

Moral of the story. You don't want to get. This isn't over yet. Continue to take care.

Just get yourself vaccinated, stop worrying about the number of tests and get on with your life. Life is too short to be worrying about this day in, day out.

c’mon!!!!!

Best to climb the wall into the olympic village it looks a lot safer there than out here.

@ Objective 5:39

there is only 1 problem with statement by Suga. You believe what he says to be true. I feel he is a stranger to the truth.

Just get yourself vaccinated, stop worrying about the number of tests and get on with your life. Life is too short to be worrying about this day in, day out.

Would love to get vaccinated but still waiting for my bloody voucher - no voucher, no vaccine!!!!

Except few people I think majority here on JT would jump at a chance to get vaccinated if they have voucher.....

@Jim

Or are in the group like me who has a voucher but isn’t eligible to make an appointment yet

there is only 1 problem with statement by Suga. You believe what he says to be true. I feel he is a stranger to the truth.

At this point that is the most official number I have found on that age group of vaccinated. It was printed in the Yomiuri so we can hope and trust they fact checked it. Assuming it is inaccurate does not make your assumptions fact. Best to use what data we have.

There is evidence Delta is more contagious but none that it is more deadly

Let's go with that as if it was true.

So other variants one infected person spreads it to 100 people, that makes 100 people with covid let's suppose it stops there.

At a mortality rate in Japan of 1.8% ( Jgov stats) that means 1.8 people will possibly dies.

Delta variant is estimated to be 50% to 60% more contagious.

So that same one person could infect 150 to 160 people and at 1.8% mortality rate that means 2.7 to 2.88 people could possibly die.

It isn't rocket science, more people that catch covid more people will die if a variant is more contagious that means more people will die.

Except few people I think majority here on JT would jump at a chance to get vaccinated if they have voucher.....

JT posters do not reflect the Japanese public's opinion of getting vaccinated. I speak to Japanese people daily and very few want anything to do with the vaccine. Most of these people are between 20-50 years old. Of course this is anecdotal but please don't assume the general public is in full support of it.

Just get yourself vaccinated, stop worrying about the number of tests and get on with your life.

Ok now tell us how we go about getting vaccinated any faster than the governments are doing it?

Please I would like to know as I go on line the minute our ward opened up for those over 55 ( that had finally received their vouchers) and the earliest I could get was July 29th and August 19th.

My wife is under 55 so cannot even try making an appointment until July 12th.

We await your expert suggestions.

Below is the link to the article regarding Delta and vaccines "Effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against the B.1.617.2 variant" post near the end of May 2021.

This is a prelim study, but they find that the one shot effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine is depressed significantly against Delta. Two shot effectiveness declines about 6%, which while not significant, may translate into more people becoming infected (including those who are fully vaccinated) and potentially people becoming re-infected.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.05.22.21257658v1

@Objective

Strange the available appointments in our ward were full as soon as they open new dates,

At the speed things are going now (once the governments go off their butts and people could more easily get appointments) seems to contradict those you claim to know.

I have been in Japan a long time have 3 extended Japanese families and everyone is waiting or trying to get vaccinated.

@stickman

Just get yourself vaccinated, stop worrying about the number of tests and get on with your life. Life is too short to be worrying about this day in, day out.

spot on,

but I’m sure it’ll fall on deaf ears & you’ll be downvoted

@stillmove

Or are in the group like me who has a voucher but isn’t eligible to make an appointment yet

If you have the voucher then - not sure if you are aware today Tokyo/Osaka (so called mega centers) opened new appointment from 6pm today

Please check it out - Tokyo has 2100 slots open

Link for Tokyo SFD center is - https://www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/defense/saigai/2020/covid/covid_intokyo.html

Osaka has 525 slots open - link for Osaka center is - https://www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/defense/saigai/2020/covid/covid_inosaka.html

Not sure if any open slots still available as it started at 6pm but try it out

good luck

JT posters do not reflect the Japanese public's opinion of getting vaccinated. I speak to Japanese people daily and very few want anything to do with the vaccine. Most of these people are between 20-50 years old. Of course this is anecdotal but please don't assume the general public is in full support of it.

If this was true there was no reason for govt to stop new registrations from companies and universities to vaccinate their employees/students - hope you remember that news in recent past where govt had to stop this process as the demand far exceeded their forecasts/estimates and they are running short of vaccines now?

As far as I know after living here for 23 years is that most of companies and universities in Japan have Japanese nationals and not foreigners or folks from JT :)

@jim

Not sure where you got you information but the Tokyo centre as of June 28th is no longer taking appointments for first dose from this point in it is only second dose appointments.

It is on their website.

@antiquesaving

I am looking at Tokyo center web page (link at - https://www.mod.go.jp/j/approach/defense/saigai/2020/covid/covid_intokyo.html)

It says today 6pm they are open for new appointments and 2100 slots are available - but you must have the voucher in hand so I dont qualify...

Just refreshed the page and now it shows all 2100 slots are already booked

I’m all in favor of positive news, but it needs to be based in reality.

oh - @Antiquesaving: Pretty much everyone I know is managing to get a slot right now, if it means sitting there for a while refreshing a webpage. @AshleyShiba who I normally despise has got the right idea. Take matters into your own hands and go and visit some of the clinics on your list. If you've got your voucher then they are starting to wake up and give out shots at the end of the day as long as you have your voucher. Which you have. and have stated.

Accepting that the government is not fudging numbers, because looking at the low number of tests we can see they are testing, but just at a dismal rate, but at the end of the day do you accept that there are only 660 new cases in Tokyo?

Come on.

Just be persistent, be prepared to spend an entire day trying to get a reservation

it worked for me and I’m not special.

as to whether a new variant will come along that renders the vaccines useless, yeah, anything is possible. You may also be hit by a car tomorrow but will that stop you from going out??

The pandemic won't be over until 2024, get used to to more lockdowns and surprise mutations

Okie dokie. I’m sure it will climb during the Olympics.

Why was it that when the number of cases dropped on Sunday ( Saturday's test results and Monday ( Sunday's test results) certain people here bombarded this section with "covid is beat" blah blah blah.

But when on Tuesday the numbers shot up again near total silence Wednesday they pop up very late in at night to spew their false information, I suspect anticipating the usual drop ( as testing drops) so they can again show up saying "look cases are down, the virus is beaten" or some other platitudes about going out drinking and bars are full.

Pretty much everyone I know is managing to get a slot right now

I am sure you do!

I got through almost as soon as they opened the appointments for over 55 and the earliest was July 29th in my ward, I also made phone calls to the individual locations to put my name on their call list if someone cancels or doesn't show, ( don't ask me why but no central waiting list or online you have to call each location separately to register) but I was told by all 6 locations that they have thousands of people requesting to be on the cancellation list and they are not accepting anymore.

Which seems to contradict those saying all the Japanese they know are not interested in getting vaccinated.

My wife is under 55 the booking opens on July 12th for her, but my neighbour told me he got through late on Monday and his first shot is the last week of August.

So I expect my wife will be sometime in September.

My daughter had her first shot at her company, my son will be late next week through his work.

As I keep saying but few understand, each prefecture, each city, each ward does it's own thing, if I was still living in my previous location they opened up for over 45 weeks ago and has well over a dozen locations our ward has 6.

With respect.

I know some here think they are being nice other are just being themselves acting as if they know better.

But where you live and how you got vaccinated or how it works in your prefecture, city, ward does not mean anything to those living in a different place.

Example, my Tokyo ward is not a big ward, the next ward is far bigger and the other next ward is smaller.

My ward just opened on Monday to over 55 and we have 6 vaccination locations, the much larger ward has 18 vaccination locations and is now vaccinating over 45, the small neighbouring ward was 11 vaccination locations and is open to those over 30.

3 wards all right next to eachother with very different plans, service, efficiency.

So what you did or what/how it works where you live doesn't apply to other regions, cities or even wards.

It's very simple regarding public demand for the vaccine-if it was Japanese made, Japanese people would far more likely want it.

It isn't, that rankles, and highlights racism here

@Reckless: Good man. I have a very sore arm - other than that was just very tired last night as were most of my colleagues post shot yesterday. Paracetamol (not Ibuprofen) is your friend for a couple of days. Much better tonight.

@Antiquesaving - You are correct, most of my Japanese colleagues had no interest in getting the vaccine until we gently egged them on. Went from 50% interest to 98% by the time the final time to make the choice came round. Keep trying - be relentless. If your daughter is getting it through her company, why are you not included?

The company scheme was set up for that scenario.

Koike gasping, coughing and wheezing through her press today...who do they think they are kidding?

What is the benefit to society?

The number of hospitalized corona patience is steady and is so for the past 3 weeks or so.

The number of death due to corona is also steady in that same manner.

Hopefully, as the vaccination rollout continues we will see the numbers dropping more and more.

This is some reassuring news.

 If your daughter is getting it through her company, why are you not included?

The company scheme was set up for that scenario.

I think you misunderstanding how things work!

Family if a company is vaccinating employees and family does not include parents, siblings, etc...

It may include wife and children and usually goes by who is covered under the healthcare plan,

As for having to persuade colleagues, perhaps that is your company.

Both my children's companies all employees jumped at the chance and mostly young 20s and 30s they want the vaccine but found going out of their way to get vouchers, wait to get online, then mess around to get an appointment, then needing to take time off work, etc.. was basically a hassle.

Give them a simple fast way and they were ready and willing.

Try and remember over half the population does not work for large corporations offering vaccination and even then only a maximum of 25 million can be vaccinated through the corporate and university program ( 50 million doses all already allotted).

The rest of use need to depend on the government, and in many cases it means missing work, trying to book an appointment around your work schedule.

This is what my wife will have to do, what most of my Japanese friends are dealing with,etc...

A complicated system makes it far more likely that people will not go or wait until they no longer have a choice.

In my area the vast majority are small businesses none will be providing vaccine.

It's not nationalist, it just makes zero sense to live somewhere you clearly dislike

So you are one of those that has this strange idea that only citizens have a right to complain or a say in how their taxes are used?

So if we were back in our country of origin saying the same things about it then fine but non citizens and immigrants should just shut up, is that your position? Or does it only apply to Japan?

My wife and children are Japanese and have far more to say and criticise about Japan than most foreigners on here.

Over 30 years here and I have out laste most that I have met that go on about foreigners complaining.

If you don't like what some are saying here you really won't like what my children's 90 plus year old Japanese grandparents have to say!