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Vaccine mistrust in Japan dates back decades

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By Natsuko FUKUE

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It is sad what happened with HPV. So many will suffer cervical cancer which could be easily prevented with vaccination. Fake science won.

9 ( +22 / -13 )

Millions of Japanese get the flu shot every year. The sign in my local clinic says, "Book now for your flu vaccination." I think this article is based on a false narrative.

3 ( +14 / -11 )

There will always be some side effects, but the tiny majority that might have small side effects outweigh the deaths that might occur otherwise.

12 ( +19 / -7 )

Studies have also shown that the flu vaccine leaves you vulnerable to corona virus. The mainstream media, CDC and WHO (corporations) won't touch the subject with a long stick though...

Robert Kennedy Jr. makes some compelling arguments here that ARE based more on science than the social conditioning we often hear in public opinion. I highly suggest you take the time to watch this:

https://youtu.be/IfnJi7yLKgE

-11 ( +12 / -23 )

Emotionally downvote all you like. It doesn't change the reality...

-17 ( +8 / -25 )

Anyone can find an article to support their argument. To it:Flu shot during COVID-19: What to know about the 2020-2021 season (usatoday.com)

3 ( +5 / -2 )

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2020/08/21/flu-shot-during-covid-what-know-2020-2021-season/3392376001/

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I would get the covid vaccine tomorrow if I could. That said, I am a little leery if it is one that is produced here in Japan under license. With the complex supply chain, knowledge, and equipment transfer involved, there is the potential for something to go wrong. If anything does go wrong, it'll take years to get a vaccine here. I'll have to fly somewhere to get vaccinated.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Is it any wonder people are sceptical, the drug dealers have not been honest with people all the time. Factor VIII scandal, known quantities of asbestos in baby powder just to name a few, have not been good for confidence. Add to that that the COVID vaccine does not actually protect against getting it and you still need to social distance and wear a mask, and if its an mRNA vaccine, to this date, however hard they have tried there has not been a particularly useful one developed, and rushed trials and approvals. On top of it all there is now a new strain and although vaccines have always been changed to meet the new strains in the past, some how this vaccine will "probably" protect you from the new strain "experts say". It would be nice if it were more sure thing like HEP B vaccines.

-2 ( +9 / -11 )

I've been for long surviving without jabs (except some compulsory program for all kids or newborn babies). While Japanese (public) schools used to conduct mass vaccination blitz to all pupils, the policy has changed to make it elective. Instead of sheer prejudice, unfamiliarity leading to uncertainty may count more on the public sentiment.

But there was another setback soon after, with massive media attention on adverse reactions allegedly tied to the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine.

Unfortunately the HPV case has been very politicized. Some opposition groups such as Reiwa Shinsengumi use it to attack the ruling LDP and health ministry who support wider vax campaigns.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The author (or translator) of this article used the word “jab” to describe a vaccination so often the slang-like descriptive was distracting from the content of the article itself.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

France has always lead the way in terms of natural health and shunning Big Pharma and their concoctions.

I guess you've never heard of Louis Pasteur.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Almost all of my japanese coworkers hesitate to take the vaccine.

Everyone is scared of the side effects.

Even my wife doesnt want to take it. (at least not in the beginning).

I will take it as soon as I can get it!

1 ( +13 / -12 )

Monty:

Your wife will use you as a guinea pig.

6 ( +11 / -5 )

It does provide some context to why the government is reluctant to "speed up" the process. The more careful they are, the less they can be blamed for any side effects.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

The narrative these days is begging the question: is a rushed and untried vaccine the solution to SARS CoV-2? Are there not other, more reliable solutions? How about improving immunity, boosting vitamin D, getting exercise and sunlight? These will not only protect against severe reactions to SARS CoV-2, but any viruses or diseases.

Vaccines are the solution to a wide range of diseases and viruses in the world. After many years of testing, they are gradually and carefully reviewed and approved. Without them we would have a very diseased world, consequently, our current state of existence is comparatively luxurious from a health perspective. Will we also benefit from hiding inside our homes and destroying our immunity and ability to pay for a health care system as a nation over many months just to get a vaccine for something whose effects is roughly similar to a typical year's flu season? What if rather than having almost no chance of getting any symptoms from the virus, one ends up in anaphylaxis? And at the same time, what if herd immunity through prior infection is achieved by the time the vaccine is widely available to the public? At that point, is it not useless to us?

Well these things all need to be weighed, and I am not against getting a vaccine. As I stated, they are important tools of our civilisation. But if it ends up being a waste of time or too much of a risk, then there's no point.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

@Monty

I will take it as soon as I can get it!

Same here.

There are risks like with all other vaccines and I am aware of it.

I rather be exposed to that risk than the risk of getting covid long term side effects like many are experiencing.

Its all about making choices and prioritising reducing overall risk.

Risk will always be there with anything you do in life.

Being hesitant getting a vaccine due to the side effects is the same as not wearing the seatbelt, considering it can cut you in half during an accident.

Unfortunately that risk is real, however you rather take that risk than being exposed to the risk of being projected to the middle of the road.

I am totally for getting the vaccine and hope most people will do so.

The quicker this happens the quicker we go back to our normal lives!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

You can’t use the word vaccine without conjuring up distrust or shots for Pochi or Tama at the vet. Call it something else... new influenza shot.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

I’m sure some people who received Polio vaccinations would argue with you.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

It's a free country. Let every person make thier own informed decision without judgement of other.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

Before taking any vaccine I will want to be tested in order to see if I have had the virus and been asymptomatic ie I have antibodies in my blood.

If yes, then I won’t be taking it.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I've decided to give my dose to the most in need people like elders, doctor, nurses.

As I'm still young and my organism is resilient, I will be taking mine dose maybe in 10-20 years. 

I hope my sacrifice will let someone live a life.

No, your fake sacrifice will make you a spreader. Youth is no guarantee against the virus, you can get Covid and be one of the 1 in 3 asymptomatic carriers, passing it on to others.

”sacrifice”. How stunning and brave.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

I didn't know Japanese were antiwaxers! Okaaay..

Good news ? ... Who knows given gaijins are high risk here and nobody else wants it maybe they will put us higher up the prioritiy list.

Fingers crossed

9 ( +11 / -2 )

I want to get the vaccine but I do worry to get it in Japan. They even mix sleeping pill overdoses with other medicines.

So, I think I will fly out to Belgium where they expect to vaccinate by September the entire population, stay 3 weeks for the 2nd dose and return.

I mean if Japan, once again, can not get its act together to even stamp the Ok on Pfizer ( end of Feb) and Moderna( end of May) for No good reason, how long will it take to mount an effective and complete inoculation campaign? The distribution of the horrible Abemasks and the cash payouts took forever.

They should now be training dentists to prepare them to help

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Ever have a Japanese nurse stick a needle in your arm? There is a reason people are insecure about getting vaccinated here.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Millions of Japanese get the flu shot every year. The sign in my local clinic says, "Book now for your flu vaccination." I think this article is based on a false narrative.

That is a faulty argument, millions of americans are fit and healthy, does that mean that obesity and metabolic diseases are not important?

Studies have also shown that the flu vaccine leaves you vulnerable to corona virus. The mainstream media, CDC and WHO (corporations) won't touch the subject with a long stick though...

No, studies appeared to indicate that but bigger, better designed studies demonstrated this not to be the case, it may surprise you but mainstream media do not make science advance. Scientific studies are the ones that you should be checking.

Robert Kennedy Jr. makes some compelling arguments here that ARE based more on science than the social conditioning we often hear in public opinion. I highly suggest you take the time to watch this:

Robert Kennedy is a known antivaxxer that has been proved to lie to support his mistaken beliefs, and to lie repeatedly even when fully knowing they are mistaken, him saying something works more to make it doubtful than the opposite

As I'm still young and my organism is resilient, I will be taking mine dose maybe in 10-20 years.

I hope my sacrifice will let someone live a life.

Your "sacrifice" still means putting you at a higher risk of short, medium and long time effects, maybe in the future we can all benefit from it by seeing exactly how much those risks you choose to submit yourself can be prevented by the vaccine.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Add to that that the COVID vaccine does not actually protect against getting it and you still need to social distance and wear a mask, and if its an mRNA vaccine, to this date, however hard they have tried there has not been a particularly useful one developed, and rushed trials and approvals.

On top of it all there is now a new strain and although vaccines have always been changed to meet the new strains in the past, some how this vaccine will "probably" protect you from the new strain "experts say".

No vaccine protects against the infection, that is never the intention, vaccines protects you against the disease. mRNA has been used without safety problems in hundreds of human trials over many years, the only problem has been efficacy but that has been already proved during the phase III trials so it is not a reason of worry. The trials have not been rushed, they used a schedule other vaccines already in the market also used without problems of safety nor efficacy.

It does provide some context to why the government is reluctant to "speed up" the process. The more careful they are, the less they can be blamed for any side effects.

The problem is that it gets a free pass about being blamed for deaths coming from a delayed approval, or at least that has been the case until now.

The narrative these days is begging the question: is a rushed and untried vaccine the solution to SARS CoV-2? Are there not other, more reliable solutions? How about improving immunity, boosting vitamin D, getting exercise and sunlight? These will not only protect against severe reactions to SARS CoV-2, but any viruses or diseases.

Will we also benefit from hiding inside our homes and destroying our immunity and ability to pay for a health care system as a nation over many months just to get a vaccine for something whose effects is roughly similar to a typical year's flu season? What if rather than having almost no chance of getting any symptoms from the virus, one ends up in anaphylaxis? And at the same time, what if herd immunity through prior infection is achieved by the time the vaccine is widely available to the public? At that point, is it not useless to us?

The vaccine has been properly tested and tried, it is not rushed.

All your "alternatives" can be already used and what gives the current rates of disease and deaths, there is no reason to do everything possible to reduce risk, which includes safe and effective vaccines.

Show that remaining in your house "destroy" your immunity. That is not supported by science.

COVID-19 is nowhere simmilar to the flu, specially because huge measures are in place to limit its effects and had not been enough. Just see how influenza is present this year to see the huge differences.

If you have 1/1,000 chances of dying from the disease, and 1/100,000 chances of having anaphylaxis (that can be effectively treated and is being already accounted for) it is irrational to choose the higher risks.

No professional is predicting that herd immunity is anywhere near to be achieved this year. The whole point of having the vaccine is not to invest the huge amounts of lives and economic losses that would be required to reach herd immunity without it.

It's a free country. Let every person make thier own informed decision without judgement of other.

It is a free country, of some person makes their decision because of false reasons or irrational arguments let people make it clear.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

The vaccine has been properly tested and tried, it is not rushed.

Can you show me the study that shows safety for:

Elderly people

Pregnant women

People with Auto-immune deficiencies

People that have been previously infected with Sars-cov-2
-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Forgot children, and long term safety

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

@robert maes Going to Belgium which is a hot spot for Coronavirus would frankly be idiotic. An out of the frying pan and into the fire scenario!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Can you show me the study that shows safety for:

Elderly people

Pregnant women

People with Auto-immune deficiencies

People that have been previously infected with Sars-cov-2

And people in treatment of cancer, suffering from brain embolism, that have transplants, untreated AIDS, etc. etc. etc.?

I mean, why would you want to test the people that are not the target of the vaccine? they are explicitly excluded as a valid medical exception. Elderly are of course included in the test and the vaccine proved safe for them. You would know if you had checked the report on the first place.

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2034577

(and what are people with auto-immune deficiencies? people unable to get autoimmune diseases? that would be most people that are healthy)

Forgot children, and long term safety

Children are not a target of vaccination at this point, and long term safety is an argument FOR the vaccine instead of the natural infection, because COVID-19 patients already have long-term or even permanent health damaged proved, while the vaccine not, so at this point the risk of long term problems is higher if you are not vaccinated.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

@robert maes Going to Belgium which is a hot spot for Coronavirus would frankly be idiotic. An out of the frying pan and into the fire scenario!

Really. Rather be in a place that takes the virus seriously, has enforceable rules for mitigating the virus and is vaccinating, than be in a place whose main strategy is to pretend it isn’t happening.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

i am fine,healthy no issues.i will leave my vaccine for these in need/elderly,vulnerable people,hospital workers,people with low immunity/.

You don’t know how the virus works and is transmitted, otherwise you wouldn’t be saying this in public.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

No one who can clearly think would be against all vaccinations by principle. But...I think it’s normal and by the way not specific Japanese, to have great enthusiasm about a new vaccine and also some fears about quality and side effects on the other side, not only as society but also within all of us. Take the influenza vaccine, for example. For decades those problems, which vaccine pattern to choose from, diverse side effects, and then after all that, the influenza still exists and comes back every year.... So even I ask myself sometimes, what and why now such extraordinary hopes are put on these anti-corona vaccinations, unchecked, produced under absolute panic, or if it is all only easy to understand propaganda to calm down a bit before the catastrophe?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Even the amount of aluminum used in vaccines as an adjuvant worries me...

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Last Thursday I had a chat with the father of one of my clients who happens to be a doctor and and the owner of a fairly large clinic/hospital in my prefecture, and he said to me: "Whatever you do, do not get that vaccine, wait at least 5 years or a even better a decade", I also have a nurse acquaintance who was told the same by her boss. If the local medical community is hesitant to get it, so I am. I trust their advice and refuse to be a lab rat. If that means no more international travel for me, so be it, this country is the most beautiful anyway.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

There is a pandemic of people who don’t like vaccines knowing medical professionals who also don’t like vaccines on this site.

It’s getting out of control.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

A couple of studies about long-term effects of Covid-19:

"The Lancet: Most patients hospitalised with COVID-19 have at least one symptom six months after falling ill, Wuhan follow-up study suggests"

https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2021-01/tl-pss010721.php

Study of 1,733 patients first diagnosed in Wuhan (China) between January and May followed to June and September.

76% of COVID-19 patients have at least one symptom six months after symptom onset.

Fatigue or muscle weakness is the most common symptom, with sleep difficulties and anxiety or depression also frequently reported.

Lower antibodies against COVID-19 in patients six months after becoming ill compared with during acute infection raises concerns about the possibility of re-infection.

"Most patients who recovered in Wuhan suffer lung damage"

https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/diagnostics/most-patients-who-recovered-in-wuhan-suffer-lung-damage/77383786

Ninety per cent of a sample group of coronavirus-recovered patients from a prominent hospital in China’s Wuhan city where the pandemic broke out have reported lung damage and five per cent of them are again in quarantine after testing positive for the virus, according to a media report on Wednesday.

A team at the Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University led by Peng Zhiyong, director of the hospital’s ICU, has been conducting follow-up visits with 100 recovered patients since April. The first phase of this one-year programme finished in July. The average age of the patients in the study is 59. According to the first phase results, 90% of the patients’ lungs are still in a damaged state, which means their lungs ventilation and gas exchange functions have not recovered to the level of healthy people, state-run Global Times reported.

So yeah, if you get infected with Covid-19, there's a chance your lungs will suffer long-term damage. Like a smoker. So don't get Covid; don't take a chance of its long-term effects

3 ( +4 / -1 )

No one cares about Fukushima radiation anymore. Nobody will care about this variant of SARS soon.

but they will still exist

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

@VirusRex - the risk is not 1/100,000,000 for individuals who have anaphylactic reactions. People with these reactions are advise not to take the vaccine. I'm guessing organizations who would be held responsible would rather not give the vaccine than assume the risk.

Personally, I will try to get the vaccine when it becomes available. I will try to make sure the people giving the vaccine are aware of the risk and are able to deal with the situation if I should have an anaphylactic reaction (I will also carry my own epipen).

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Last Thursday I had a chat with the father of one of my clients who happens to be a doctor and and the owner of a fairly large clinic/hospital in my prefecture, and he said to me: "Whatever you do, do not get that vaccine, wait at least 5 years or a even better a decade", I also have a nurse acquaintance who was told the same by her boss. If the local medical community is hesitant to get it, so I am.

The medical community is not hesitant, some people included may be, but personal anecdotes are a terribly poor thing to define the general opinion. The importance anyway is why they would be against it, it may be surprising but not everybody working in health services is well prepared scientifically. It is not the same to have valid concerns based on objective data than just having fuzzy anxieties already proved false by the data.

A well known danger in medicine are the people that go against medical science saying "In my experience..."

@VirusRex - the risk is not 1/100,000,000 for individuals who have anaphylactic reactions. People with these reactions are advise not to take the vaccine. I'm guessing organizations who would be held responsible would rather not give the vaccine than assume the risk.

Again, for people that are medically exempted from vaccination there is no recommendation, the risk for them is 0 because they should not get the vaccine, their protection will come indirectly from interrupting transmission. The risk is for someone that is for all purposes healthy but can have the reaction.

People with known anaphylactic predisposition are also in higher risk from the natural infection, their body reacts differently to infections, and to the treatments.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I am assuming that many people in Japan saw the reports of deaths related to the seasonal flu vaccine in South Korea in the fall that may also be informing their opinions.

Vaccines are big money spinners for profits and people can assume that pharma companies and their Boards of Directors, who are legally obligated to maximize profits may have different motives in promoting vaccines than healthcare professionals.

Only 2 countries in the entire world give the chicken pox vaccine to all children as part of their "free" public vaccine program; the US and Canada. The UK did for a short period but stopped. The UK found that re-exposure to chicken pox for adults who had contracted chicken pox as children who would still have the virus in their bodies "re-booted" their immune system to the virus and stopped shingles. (same virus as chicken pox)

When you UK gave all children the chick pox vaccine there was a huge and ultimately costly to the healthcare system increase in the number of people who developed shingles. Of course big pharma is now happy to provide a shingles vaccine but the costs of both a chicken pox vaccine for all children and a shingles vaccine for all adults out ways the benefits of controlling what is a benign virus for almost everyone who contracts it.

Healthcare dollars are limited and the cost of those 2 vaccines takes vital healthcare dollars away from other programs such as heart surgery that provides better cost/benefits for the same spending.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"No vaccine is 100 percent safe. Vaccine programs won't work if that's what people want," she said.

True, but 99.9% safe AND effective is pretty close.

Vaccination is one of the best uses for medical money. Vaccinate 5,000 people or give 1 over-50 person open heart surgery? I'd pick the vaccinations every time.

Anyone who had chicken pox can get shingles later in life. I'd be interested in seeing the study claiming different.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@theFu

Absolutely, anyone how has had chickenpox can get the shingles. But re-exposure to the chickenpox dramatically reduces the chance of developing shingles.

In Japan where the chicken pox vaccine is not free and not widely given, the vaccine may provide decades of protection from the chickenpox as people are re-exposed to the virus many times.

In the US where it is given to all children the vaccine offers as little as 6 years of protection, making the entire generation of young adults, who typically fail to get booster shots, susceptible to the varicella virus. Severe cases of chickenpox in children are extremely rare (8 US deaths) especially when you consider that over 3000 Americans die every year from food poisoning. However, in adults, chicken pox is much more devastating.

The herd is better protected from adult onset chicken pox and the later development of shingles if the vaccine is not included as part of standard childhood vaccination programs. Big pharma used fear to sell it to US and Canadian politicians and also probably a few donations, nudge, nudge, wink wink.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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