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Japan speeds up COVID vaccine rollout for elderly

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Taro Kono probably has the toughest job in the country. God speed Japan inc.

-32 ( +5 / -37 )

Japan speeds up..., Japan accelerates..., Japan lags behind...” ...Dead Stop!

From the article:

- “to secure tele lines for emergency calls, major Japanese telecom companies have imposed a restriction on the no. of incoming calls to local governments accepting reservations.” -

And the loser is...

25 ( +28 / -3 )

Omg, good news!

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Positive news, hopefully this can be implemented. Let's get cracking on with it.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Yawn. Sure, ok. People are getting sick of these false promises from japans impotent leadership.

23 ( +26 / -3 )

In an effort to secure telephone lines for emergency calls even when calls to make a reservation flood the lines, major Japanese telecom companies have imposed a temporary restriction on the number of incoming calls to local governments accepting reservations.

Does this mean there is a designated line for calling to make reservations, and another designated line to call the ward office for emergencies?

What kind of emergencies? One of those emergencies like when grandpa went out for a walk, got lost and has not come home yet and was wearing his pajamas and since it is raining and cold outside if you see him contact the emergency number at the shiyakusho?

I thought every old person was to get a post card and had no need to call?

-7 ( +3 / -10 )

I'm 68 and just learned today that my application for a jab has been rejected because I don't have a membership card at my local hospital and because there are too many applicants on the list ahead of me. The EARLIEST I can apply again is July.

40 ( +41 / -1 )

Japanese institution? Speed up? Initiative?

Sorry to say this,but these three words do not match well together.

Pinocchio was more credible.

27 ( +28 / -1 )

Speed up? what? What's with all those propaganda news. There's zero increase in actual vaccination numbers.

This is just all talk and no action. Report this story when the numbers actually goes up, which it won't. Japan's vaccination numbers will never exceed 300,000 daily average. There's simply no will or are there enough skilled personnel in power to plan and execute a logistics/distribution plan for the the vaccines.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

The speed they are talking about is like 2.5km/h, not 100km/h. That's the Japan speed. I think we are now at 1.5km/h, up from 1 a few months ago.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Speeds up? The that means they will go faster than a snail now?

17 ( +18 / -1 )

They’ are reprehensible @TomYoung 4:38pm:

“I'm 68, today my appl has been rjctd because I don't have a member card at my local hosp & too many applicants ahead of me. The EARLIEST I can ‘apply’ again is July.” -

Even if You jump thru their hoops in the meantime, you have to wait 2 months to apply again? And then, what?

15 ( +16 / -1 )

Sooo... three today instead of two?

in any case, they sure are making a mad dash before vaccinating athletes so they can say their priorities are in order. Not like they’ve had MONTHS to do this, and we have old folks homes becoming mass graves.

15 ( +15 / -0 )

9 million in 2 weeks, 

Writing is garbled, what I think it said was government will send vaccines (not inoculate) for 9million elderly in 2 weeks from Monday.

And plans to distribute the vaccines for the rest of the elderly by end of june.

Goal is to inoculate all of the elderly by end of July

8 ( +12 / -4 )

@Ian: We were taught to read English the same. Thanks for simplifying it for those that scan, and post.

-13 ( +1 / -14 )

Point taken @Zoroto 4:28pm:

- “Plans, hopes, aims...” -

J govt remains “aimless”, never had a “plan” and therefore, the people are left “hopeless”.

THEY are even asking Us for answers NOW . From Today’s “Have Your Say”.

- “What are some practical ways that the Japanese government could speed up the coronavirus vaccination process?” -

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Have more than a quarter of healthcare workers even been vaccinated yet?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/17/world/asia/japan-south-korea-australia-vaccines.html

(3 week old article)

Dr. Eiji Kusumi, the director of the Navitas Clinic, a private network of medical clinics in Tokyo, said his workers had not been inoculated. “This is the same as World War II,” he said, “when the public was told, without bullets or food, to fight with bamboo spears.”

11 ( +11 / -0 )

As already said, the number of great daily announcements soon outnumbers the vaccinations by far. lol

15 ( +15 / -0 )

Omachi kudasai.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

I'm in my late 40's but I "identify" as a 75 year old. Surely to not include me in first wave for vaccines is a breach of my human rights.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Got my invitation for the Pfizer thing, and spent the weekend listening to different expert opinions on it. Everybody should make their own decision, but I will give it a pass.

Instead, I make sure I get outside and get some fresh air, sunshine, and exercise daily.

-25 ( +6 / -31 )

Look at Biden for inspiration and how he changed America's rollout. I hope today marks the day for Japan and that the people line up and roll up.

0 ( +9 / -9 )

Jeremy Rigby

Look at Biden for inspiration and how he changed America's rollout. I hope today marks the day for Japan and that the people line up and roll up.

Biden did not "change any rollout". He is just continuing Trumps vaccination program.

The only thing that has changed is the media coverage.

-10 ( +13 / -23 )

It will be interesting to see how the vaccine rollout goes. However I think we better wait for the IOC to weigh in on this.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Logged into Minato City system at 9am today. Made an appointment for the vaccine on Monday. Easy.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Got my invitation for the Pfizer thing, and spent the weekend listening to different expert opinions on it. Everybody should make their own decision, but I will give it a pass.

I’d have bet my health, house, savings and the shirt on my back on you deciding that.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

For what it is worth, I got my first injection this afternoon, no problems.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Got my invitation for the Pfizer thing, and spent the weekend listening to different expert opinions on it. 

Can you please be more specific ? What experts ?

Is this on your own and YouTube or these experts are government officials?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Having spoken to some relatives on Zoom, I've found out that practically all my relatives (excluding the very young) around the world have already been offered vaccinations and most have already had their second doses. They asked about me, and I didn't know what to say.

Remember when embassies in Tokyo were offering iodine tablets to their concerned citizens right after the Fukushima disaster and Japanese were left to fend for themselves? I sure wish these embassies would offer jabs to their citizens here again. While everyone else will be able to get back to normal life someday soon and travel, I will be stuck here. It was already expensive enough last time I travelled, including 25,000 yen for the private taxi service, but this time there will be extras and countries are not willing to let people arriving from Japan off lightly. Thanks a bunch. What an incompetent, criminal government.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Keep the government out of it and it will be JUST FINE.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I am elderly but there is no way that I will take the shot.

-12 ( +6 / -18 )

Applications in my town opened at 8:30 this morning. Mr Cleo and I were on the website filling in our details as soon as the site opened, for some reason the site refused three times to accept the application numbers we were given. Took us five minutes to fill everything in to their satisfaction, hit the Apply button, to be told that all available places had been taken, please try again next week.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Glad that 99 year old got his shot.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

cleo, was there phone number to call?

Tokyo?, Osaka?

Did you received a green envelope detailing instruction?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Talking about Corona and the vaccinations, I plan to get some Ivermectin just in case. Anyone knows how it is available in Japan?

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

vic.M

I am elderly but there is no way that I will take the shot.

Afaic, I would not say "no way", but I certainly want to know more about "that shot" and the consequences.

Remember the experts in 2020: "It is impossible to develop a safe vaccine within one year". Now the same experts in 2021: "You must take that vaccine that was developed within one year."

-10 ( +5 / -15 )

n1k1

Can you please be more specific ? What experts ?

A lot. Both for, against, and undecided.

Is this on your own and YouTube

I don´t know what your beef with Youtube is. CNN, the WHO, your government, the NYT, the CCP, the Global times.... they are all on Youtube. And every video on the topic gets stamped with a reminder by Youtube to listen to the CHO, err WHO. Not politically correct enough yet?

or these experts are government officials?

Your trust in "Government officials" is truly touching

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

@Zaphod

What experts did you listen before deciding not to get the Pfizer vaccine? Where can we listen to them?

3 ( +9 / -6 )

9 million in 2 weeks, from what I've seen at the 'rehearsals' all the form filling, all the questions, then a sample jab, then the waiting.

But I thought from a previous article that he aims to vaccinate 1 million a day. Gee, how many did he vaccinate today? I’m sure not a million. If he can’t carry this out, I don’t see how we can trust him or his LDP on anything else.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Jimizo

What experts did you listen before deciding not to get the Pfizer vaccine? Where can we listen to them?

Are you really interested in sitting down and spending a few hours listening to long-form interviews to form an opinion, or do you just want a few names to google and find some dismissive comments to smear them? Honest question.

-7 ( +5 / -12 )

You'd think 9 million is a lot, then it's for two weeks. Which means a little over 600,000 per day. Only double the current speed.

In comparison, the US reached a peak of 3,300,000 per day, 5x of Japan's goal.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Are you really interested in sitting down and spending a few hours listening to long-form interviews to form an opinion, or do you just want a few names to google and find some dismissive comments to smear them? Honest question.

I generally read before forming opinions but listening is okay too. I’ve got a pretty good attention span.

I’m open to it.

You must admit your reluctance to post where you get your news from and your take on vaccines does and should arouse suspicion. Just post them.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Hiroshima city announced the schedule for vaccinations today:

75~79歳が接種券の送付と予約開始が6月上旬で接種開始が同下旬、70~74歳が各7月上旬と同下旬、65~69歳が各8月上旬と同下旬を予定する。

75-79 years old will receive vaccination tickets and reservations will start in early June and vaccination will start in late June, 70-74 years old will start in early July and late July, and 65-69 years old will start in August.

They cited the lack of medical staff to administer the vaccinations for the additional delays. So unless the national government acts proactively to aid the prefectures and local governments, it's going to take a lot longer just to get the elderly vaccinated.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Jimizo

Well, since you surely do not disagree with the proponents of the mRNA vaccines, how about starting with a prominent opponent, Prof. Bhakdi. Recent interview here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyPjAfNNA-U

But it takes 45 minutes to listen to. Just googling to find some opponent calling him a crackpot is much easier, I am sure.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

@Zaphod

Cheers. I’ll give him a go.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

By the way, Japan's vaccination program will be handled by Nippon Travel Agency Co., Ltd.

There is absolutely no chance that the vaccination program can go well.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/cd1b6ed5c5d0a67170941bd4eb95976e63758318/comments?page=2&t=t&order=recommended

Japan corruption at its finest, first Go-To-Travel, now even vaccination money must go to companies that gives kick-backs and bribes. Too bad the Japanese voters will be giving the LDP another landslide this October's election again, so why should the politicians care about the people at all.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Is that 4,500,000 people receiving both doses or 9,000,000 people getting the first dose in two weeks? Either way, without the facilities or staff this is an impossible target.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Remember the experts in 2020: "It is impossible to develop a safe vaccine within one year". Now the same experts in 2021: "You must take that vaccine that was developed within one year."

Any reference for this or is it some imaginary thing? By the way COVID vaccines were not developed over a year, they are the culmination of more than 10 years of research and development to produce safe and effective vaccines against highly pathogenic coronaviruses.

how about starting with a prominent opponent, Prof. Bhakdi. Recent interview here:

When your only resource ends up being someone that have been proved to be wrong repeatedly, that do not offer evidence to prove what he says and that purposefully avoids discussing all the arguments that disqualify him that should be enough to make you think that maybe there is a reason why nobody else of better reputation and evidence thinks the same. When someone wants to contradict scientific knowledge but has no capacity to even write a valid scientific report to do it maybe this person is hopelessly out of his league.

https://leadstories.com/hoax-alert/2021/04/fact-check-covid-shots-are-not-set-to-contribute-to-the-decimation-of-the-world's-population.html

4 ( +9 / -5 )

Biden did not "change any rollout". He is just continuing Trumps vaccination program.

There was no plan. This is documented.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

@itsonlyrocknroll

cleo, was there phone number to call? 

Yes, there was a phone number to call. All we could get on it was Impossible to connect; the line is busy, please call later.

Tokyo?, Osaka? 

Deepest darkest Tochigi.

Did you received a green envelope detailing instruction?

A big yellow envelope with detailed instructions and a QR code for instant connection to the website.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

You'd think 9 million is a lot, then it's for two weeks. Which means a little over 600,000 per day. Only double the current speed.

https://vdata.nikkei.com/newsgraphics/coronavirus-japan-vaccine-status/

Here, it says only 330,000 elderly people have been vaccinated so far. In the whole of Japan. Plus about 3 million healthcare workers, but they started to vaccinate healthcare workers in February, so it can't be 300,000 per day either.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Biden did not "change any rollout". He is just continuing Trumps vaccination program.

That's wrong, Biden increased it from 1 million per day to 100 million per 100 days ; )

When someone wants to contradict scientific knowledge but has no capacity to even write a valid scientific report to do it maybe this person is hopelessly out of his league.

Yes, indeed. I often get that impression when reading those who disagree with experts like Didier Raoult, Geert Vanden Bossche...

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

I don't care what the government says about speeding up. How are they going to reach the goal of vaccinating 36,000,000 "elderly" people by the end of July? That's 80 days from today. To fully vaccinate you need to give two shots. You have 59 days to get the first shot in everyone's arm so you'll have time to get the second shots done before August 1st. That's 70,000,000 shots in 80 days. If they work 6 days per week that's 1,000,000 shots per day. In my city, people who have been able to make appointments today are getting dates 21 days in the future. And, they're still working on the 75+ population. This isn't looking good, Mr. Suga. The people of Japan deserve better.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

@

chard BurganToday  10:49 pm JST

I don't care what the government says about speeding up. How are they going to reach the goal of vaccinating 36,000,000 "elderly" people by the end of July? That's 80 days from today. To fully vaccinate you need to give two shots. You have 59 days to get the first shot in everyone's arm so you'll have time to get the second shots done before August 1st. That's 70,000,000 shots in 80 days. If they work 6 days per week that's 1,000,000 shots per day. In my city, people who have been able to make appointments today are getting dates 21 days in the future. And, they're still working on the 75+ population. This isn't looking good, Mr. Suga. The people of Japan deserve better.

pls stop being so logic it doesn’t cut the mustard here! Do as your told not as I do!

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Raw Beer

That's wrong, Biden increased it from 1 million per day to 100 million per 100 days ; )

LOL yeah. You should apply for a job at CNN!

Yes, indeed. I often get that impression when reading those who disagree with experts like Didier Raoult, Geert Vanden Bossche...

Lots of people who got censored or shadowbanned by the "fact-checkers" employed by Youtube and Twitter, such as Dana Ford. I would love to see Dana Ford in a podium discussion with Prof. John Ioannidis, Eric Weinstein or Scott Atlas. Think we will see that?

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Japan speeds up COVID vaccine rollout for elderly

Oh really? I thought 0 X 0 = 0. You can't speed up what isn't moving.

Stop with the talk and the plans and the promises and the blaming and the incompetence.

JUST DO IT!!!!

What are you useless "leaders" waiting for? A cookie?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"Doctors for Covid Ethics" will have symposium May 17 and 18 in Copenhagen, streamed online at

https://doctors4covidethics.medium.com/

Maybe something to to watch during these SoE times, to get a perspective that is usually suppressed by the corporate media.

No doubt our fact-checking virus expert Dana Ford will take up all these academics on their mistakes....

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

I am elderly but there is no way that I will take the shot.

Seems to me antivaxing is a problem in Japan .

Hypothetically, If 50 percent of the 65+ is sceptical about the shot then Japan will not be able to solve the hospitals capacity problem and we will stay in this SoE forever.

I know we are not there yet but removing the 65+ priority system in place might be a smarter / faster way to herd immunity.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I don´t know what your beef with Youtube is.

No issues at all. My children used to watch the baby shark song for hours on this platform.

Just say it as it is please , you got me confused for a moment !

"I watched certain dr bakhdi on YT and decided not to take the pfizer shot" .Say it loud so you too can hear yourself .

Telling us you consulted expert opinions isn't the same is it ?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The Japanese government needs to learn to use the past tense more to be credible..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Prepare a timeline for vaccination in other age groups among adults. That is also very important to take the country towards the end of the tunnel.

If a number of people among the elderly don't want to be vaccinated, that's their loss and they will have to queue alongside increasingly younger age groups. The current priority to seniors should not penalize other adult age groups in getting vaccinated before vaccines meet their expiry dates.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

They cited the lack of medical staff to administer the vaccinations for the additional delays.

Oh please! How many times do we have to say it again? They have to gather other professionals to deliver shots. Giving shots into arms is all that matters. That can be done with pharmacists, paramedics, veterinarians, police officers, JSDF troops and more. All of those people could be trained in a single day or two and then get the job done on the field. Why is that so difficult?

To think that Japan has a grade A playbook on how to deal with natural disasters, it's beyond comprehension that the government is not using that same guideline nor extrapolating from it to activate emergency measures as means to solve the issue a lot faster.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes, indeed. I often get that impression when reading those who disagree with experts like Didier Raoult, Geert Vanden Bossche...

You mean the whole scientific and medical community? maybe it would be better if you go to the evidence itself. If your references require unethical, manipulated studies to "prove" their points then it is time to follow better people.

THAT is your source for the "proved to be wrong"?

So, no argument to defend all the things he said that can be proved to be false? it is not like those can only be found from this source. Do this means you accept that he has been proved to lie and be wrong repeatedly.

https://digicomnet.org/doctors-disinformation

(obviously more sources in Germany, where he is based) https://www.sueddeutsche.de/medien/corona-falschmeldungen-youtube-facebook-1.4873470

Where do you get the idea from that Prof. Bhakdi has never written a valid scientific report? From Dana Ford?

About his mistaken ideas about COVID? from the fact that they are not to be found anywhere, you could of course prove it wrong by giving a source where he wrote a scientific report about how COVID is not more dangerous than influenza, etc. But for some reason you keep linking to... youtube videos.

Lots of people who got censored or shadowbanned by the "fact-checkers"

If that is your only defense, instead of proving the mistakes and falsehoods are actually correct, that means that you are accepting that your sources lie, and that your problem is about this being discovered.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

virusrex

About his mistaken ideas about COVID? from the fact that they are not to be found anywhere, you could of course prove it wrong by giving a source where he wrote a scientific report about how COVID is not more dangerous than influenza, etc.

He does not claim that, which you would know if you listened to him and formed your own opinion, instead running to "fact checking" sites and searching for articles in newspapers. Prof. Bhakdi knows more about virology than your Dana Ford and some journalist at the "Sueddeutsche".

But for some reason you keep linking to... youtube videos.

There are vastly more establishment scientists on Youtube than dissidents, in fact the latter ones are suppressed, typically with the help of "fact checkers" of the calibre of Dana Ford.

Progress is made by hearing different opinions, and not by the media deciding who is allowed to speak.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Cheers Cleo, no different in Kochi, just the colour of the correspondence.

To much to expect the desk jockey bureaucrats to have kept it simple.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I thought there was a lack of manpower to administer more than 10,000 doses at a vaccination facility per day.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

NHK's coverage of this on New Watch 9 was a priceless illustration of Japan on this topic. Reporting how Fukushima prefecture has hired an army of college students to help the elderly make online appointments. The student they showed had an iPad. On the screen was written "Gateway - Timeout - Error". The kid just kept hitting refresh like he was playing a video game fighting a monster. The old lady he was assisting just sat there with her head hung.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Annnd numbers are out, only 271,604 vaccinations yesterday, which is actually lower than last week.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/pages/20210122

The numbers gets close to 20,000-30,000 on the weekends. There's no way Japan can ever hope to reach 300,000 daily averages, it is something I'd be willing to bet everything I have on. As expected, all talk no results.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He does not claim that, which you would know if you listened to him and formed your own opinion,

He totally did https://correctiv.org/faktencheck/2020/06/19/impfung-gegen-covid-19-sinnlos-sucharit-bhakdi-stellt-unbelegte-behauptungen-auf/

Now, if the complain is that he has no capacity to even write a scientific report on COVID so his only "resource" are youtube videos saying that other people much more prepared than him also do it has no importance. You should think what it means that you were asked specifically for a scientific paper and could not come up with anything.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Here in France I have been vaccinated with the 1 indencion of pfizer cette record of 600,000 people in one day I am sure that reaching 1 million in 1 day is possible .....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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