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Gov't says masks not needed outdoors if distancing maintained

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39 Comments

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Wow, the Japanese government admitted something that the WHO said back in 2020!

Soon they will say that using double mask while in your car alone should only be done if the windows are open and there are other cars with open windows near.

23 ( +33 / -10 )

At this stage it makes sense to begin to return to essentially 'normal life'.

The combination of half-hearted measures, and mix of people taking no precautions anyway have pretty much dictated this type of announcement anyway.

Personally, you won't find me in any crowded bars or cafes, but it is time to begin to de-mask.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

And coats aren’t needed either as it’s getting warmer, thanks for the tip. But I was sweating over it, is it government sanctioned or not? Have to pay more attention to TV or I will miss the change over.

21 ( +24 / -3 )

Goodness gracious !

Another whoopie cushion senseless announcement

Masks were never required anway !

Feel free to plug your brain back in and release yourselves from quasi reality.

-15 ( +12 / -27 )

It still amazes (saddens) me how people refuse to believe that masks have helped.

Did you people never watch a hospital drama on tv and notice the doctors wearing masks? They do that to protect the patient! This isn't something new or irrational.

Still, I'm glad the government is telling people they don't need the masks all the time, we certainly do need to get back to "normal" life.

1 ( +20 / -19 )

That snail left the building a couple years ago, Japan. Catch up! Heaps of chin wearers and non-mask wearers can be seen everywhere in Japan, indoors and out (though much more so out), and not a thing has ever been done about it. This "permission" and revelation from the government only shows that they are bigger fools than thought.

-13 ( +8 / -21 )

They're not necessary indoors either. But the government doesn't have the stomach to say that masks can now come off for good. They have to do it in increments to save whatever face they thought they had.

Give it a few more weeks and they'll come out with something like "It's now safe to not to wear masks indoors, but only if there are no more than 2 people in the same room" so some such drivel.

So it'll be a while before we see smiley faces in the supermarket.

12 ( +24 / -12 )

Never wore a mask outside to begin with-it’s a heart stopper in high humidity…

3 ( +20 / -17 )

Did you people never watch a hospital drama on tv and notice the doctors wearing masks? They do that to protect the patient! This isn't something new or irrational.

Doctors wear masks primarily to stop bacteria getting into open wounds during surgery and the like. They are of limited benefit against viruses, and then only when fitted properly and changed often. Masks for the public during this pandemic were a waste from the start.

1 ( +17 / -16 )

I’m going to wait until I get told on TV it’s OK.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

Masks were always optional in Japan anyway. You just got weird looks from people if you did not partake.

People will still wear them. And when cases start going up, the govt will advise us all to wear them again.

It is a never ending cycle.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

But you should wear a mask when driving a car by yourself.

10 ( +17 / -7 )

Yaaay!

4 ( +7 / -3 )

MatToday  05:25 pm JST

Did you people never watch a hospital drama on tv and notice the doctors wearing masks? They do that to protect the patient! This isn't something new or irrational.

On TV dramas prior to this covid thing, doctors didn't go around wearing masks. Doctors performing a surgery only wear a mask so as not to spit and spread any germs in to the open wound. They remove the mask straight after finished and throw it in the bin. Of course, now to the "covid" thing, I guess they wander around the hospital full time masked.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Some time ago, I saw a video of the flute players in an orchestra playing the instruments through a small hole in the mask. It wasn't a joke.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The science of masks is irrefutable and personally I won't be reducing my use of them.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

It was never law to wear a mask, there was no punishment or fine for not wearing. So what are they talking about

Yep. Never forced any to wear it, never locked you down despite there seems to be so many who should wear mask at public forum like here

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Proper mask-wearing is necessary if you cannot maintain enough distance with others outside and talk with them,"

Majority of people will never take them off here. Consider it the norm for a long time.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Wearing masks outdoors to protect against the coronavirus is not necessary providing social distancing

Wearing masks outdoors is not necessary whatsoever. Social distancing or not. The stupids in the Japanese government still believe that ballistic droplets are a factor of contamination. They are not or more precisely the risk with them is very low and negligible. Only virus carrying aerosols are. That makes the contamination risk outside extremely unlikely which is by the way easily explained by physics.

And anyway this mask thing has to stop now for a virus with such a low fatality rate. This is becoming in Japan just bizarre and grotesque. Even wearing mask indoors should be abandoned or only advised for the vulnerable population. The rest of the population should be left alone at this point and particularly children. The selfish elderlies of this county should be ashamed for having imposed on children wearing a mask all the time like they did.

13 ( +17 / -4 )

Never wore a mask outside anyway.

Common sense is lacking in Japan.

I think GABA is still enforcing mask wearing in the office and a face guard aswell..How ridiculous!

6 ( +11 / -5 )

The government finally openly admitted the obvious, bit late though....

8 ( +13 / -5 )

For first timers to hear from JGov, it's a good laugh. For regulars, same old boring humour.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Does this mean that all the Japanese people that look at me with the side eye or turn their back away from me when I'm jogging will treat me like a human being now rather than a suspicious dangerous animal?

4 ( +10 / -6 )

@TokyoJoe

No

12 ( +13 / -1 )

I hope this news is front page in the Japanese press. Every day I remain in total disbelief at the many many many masked people I see, driving a car alone, walking totally alone in the park or with their partner ( maybe they wear masks together at home too) and bicycling alone. I hope some of them can read this and realise how stupid what they are doin is, particularly once the real summer weather arrives when it will not just stupid but unhealthy. Do these people really think they are protecting themselves! And I bet some of these same people go to packed out restaurants or bars later in the same day and have no problem taking off their mask there, chatting away in the real risk situation.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Masks should only be worn by people who have no manners and cannot be bothered to turn away or put their hand to their mouth when they sneeze or cough. And this has nothing to do with Covid.

I see people on the train every day barking out coughs into their fellow passengers and imagining it's fine because they're wearing masks. Very unpleasant.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Mask also not needed inside when social distancing.

Never wear it outside,, or always under the chin. distance or not

3 ( +8 / -5 )

They're not necessary indoors either

Yes they are, because they importantly decrease the risk of infection according to the best available science, just saying something and contradicting the consensus of doctors and scientists all over the world has no actual value.

As long as the risks decrease eventually the masks will not be necessary except on special situations (like when in close contact with people with fragile immunity) that is part of the deal with measures against risk, they can be reduced once that risk disappear.

They are of limited benefit against viruses

How come then it has been proved above any rational doubt this is false? a world conspiracy?

On TV dramas prior to this covid thing, doctors didn't go around wearing masks.

Masks are worn continuously on infectious diseases, transplant, immunosuppressed or any other patient that requires isolation and laboratories where samples are being handled, and not only by doctors but also by nurses or even cleaning staff, they have been used for decades with the specific purpose of decreasing the spreading of infectious diseases. Thinking their use is exclusive of the operating room is what comes from media.

The demonstrated efficacy against COVID is of course independent of this, and undeniable by any rational person at this point.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Can I get a hankod copy of the measures faxed to 5138008 pls.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

There are plenty of people in Japan who need to be told this, so I don't mind the announcement. I think it'll have to be repeated several times for some to get the message.

I hope it means all outdoor events will be back to normal now. Festivals, fireworks, music events, etc. The same goes for public run facilities who were very zealous during Covid. My town has a sports center with outdoor trails that it closed to the public even though indoor private gyms were still open.

fwiw, I didn't mind wearing a mask during earlier versions of Covid that were more deadly.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

People sneezing into their masks like it’s a snot catcher makes me sick. I only wear one if the train really packed apart from that I’m free those fools ain’t

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

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