Japan walks tightrope between no COVID restrictions, hospital strain

If the hospital system in a country of this size is under strain by 20 admissions, building greater capacity in the system is surely needed.

Larr Fint, “Well, there is no chance for another lockdown and staying home as the Japanese economy would go bankrupt.”

Japan hasn’t had a lockdown since the pandemic started.

My wife works in a hospital in Japan and she isn’t seeing what this article is reporting!

There are cases of infection but seriously admitted patients?

No.

@kuripasu exactly, the media takes whatever minimal facts they can get and twists them into a full-blown disaster. I spent 20 years in the media. I know the routine. Create panic, sell product. Notice how they don’t mention the most important fact, cases rising but deaths are not.

People are so scared by media whom they see like a "God". There no such daily reporting anymore in Europe. They stopped and everyone live their unmasked life. I have a friend who got a fever and said that she is going to go for PCR test. Why more stress.

My wife had fever and I said no tests and she agreed. 3 days later she was fine.

Be well everyone and enjoy your another day. Unmasked outside :)

Monty nailed it: many people in this country go to the hospital for the slightest of symptoms. I guess that is to be expected when a country has such a good medical system that is so affordable. Having said that, it’s time to make a value judgement between emotional, intellectually and financially destroying the younger generations to cater to the physical and definitely mentally weaker older generation (of which I am a member). That is an easy choice albeit unpopular choice. No more shutdowns.

"If the number of serious cases continues to increase, hospital bed vacancies may not be able to keep pace,"

hospital bed occupancy rate of around 60 percent.

with over 2,000 people hospitalized as of July 12.

How is that possible???

I thought that the vaccine will reduce the risk that you get hospitalized and now the hospitaized cases are increasing???

How Is that possible?

Ah, I know...,

Everyone who is hospitalized is not vaccinated, and they are all antivaxxers, right?

not to make emergency visits just for "light cold symptoms,"

This is the fault of the media and of all the idiots with their fear mongering BS, which they spread day in day out.

As soon as people got a running nose, they run to hospital, because they are so strongly under fear, and they are worried that they got Covid and will probably die from it.

If this situation goes on, hospitalized cases increase, and people overflowing emergency areas just for a running nose... be prepared for a next SOE and that the so called experts and advisers and the government will damage again all of our summer vaccations.

It’s not hard to build a dedicated COVID-19 clinic and train staff. One hospital will cost the same as buying one F-35 fighter jet.

China built one in 5 days, UK in two weeks.

life must go on, look after each other and wash your hands.

@letsberealistic

Sure, but one nurse's experience in one ward of one hospital among 8,200 Japanese hospitals does not make for reliable information.

Why do you suppose that it is a nurse’s experience in one ward?

Actually, the information being received is over multiple hospitals as well as emergency response facilities.

@Yubaru

The majority of patients admitted seem to be geriatrics waiting to pass on not terminally ill Covid patients.

It is estimated than less than half of “covid patients” are in the hospital due to covid. They are there for other reasons but got tested anyway. Some countries are reporting less than 30% are hospitalized “due to corona” and 70% “with corona”. Same for counting of deaths, it does not distinguish between dying with the infection and dying from the infection. Stop the fear mongering!

Like, considering the situation was long seen to be ongoing, was it so, so difficult to make extra beds?

Lining up extra beds is no problem. The problem is finding staff to care for the people in the extra beds; it takes time - years - to train medical staff. There's no point having the beds without the staff.

With patients complaining of high fevers flooding emergency wards, Okinawa's prefectural medical association, at a press conference Friday, called for people not to make emergency visits just for "light cold symptoms," stressing that the system is "on the verge of collapse."

Light cold symptoms is what people who get covid feel.

Basically, if you are not up to date with boosters and not following the advised precautions, you are part of the problem.

Getting ready for your 5th?

The Japanese government currently has no plans to impose restrictions amid the seventh wave of coronavirus infections, but it remains to be seen whether the medical system will be able to endure the cost of this decision.

Within the first paragraph of this article, there is already a logical fallacy being spit in the face of the reader.

Imposing restrictions such as the reduced dining hours or alcohol serving ban has never, nor will it ever, slow down the spread of Covid.

What the article should make clear is the 90% of hospitals aren't accepting covid patients full stop! If there were a problem with this wave, which there isn't based on current insignificant admissions , the govts needs to force all hospitals to accept patients. Thankfully it is a runny nose and a couple of days rest. No need for the umpteenth booster which doesn't even work!

I reckon there is more chance of them fully opening the borders than there is of another SOE!

People have had enough of the Covid hysteria. Most have now had it at least once and realized in its current form worse colds are to be had! The Govts around the world have used up all their good will and people aren't going to sit idly by and be subjected to the over reach carried out over the last couple of years, just won't happen . Move on open up stop generating profits for big pharma by getting vaccinated on a 3 monthly basis with a vaccine that isn't even designed for the current variant! What a great profit generating system...they don't even feel the need to develop a new variant specific vaccine because some people have been scared into thinking any vaccine is better than no vaccine even one that obviously doesn't work!...wake up!

What's the problem? They can impose whatever non-enforceable 'restrictions' they want. I will just ignore them like last time.

I don't know why people worry about them.

in the situation that was presented to the world long ago in early 2020, your answer just makes no sense at all.

It's the situation that was presented to the world long ago in early 2020 (just build emergency hospitals and fill them full of beds) that didn't make sense.

The Japanese government currently has no plans to impose restrictions amid the seventh wave of coronavirus infections, but it remains to be seen whether the medical system will be able to endure the cost of this decision.

The LDP tightrope during the pandemic has always been how to avoid providing assistance to the public and offload most of the discomfort and difficult preventative measures onto the unsupported public.

The primary reason for government's existence and taxation is collective support in the event of a crisis.

The LDP seeks to avoid this and focus on its primary mission of enriching their Japan Inc. cronies.

How much control does the Japanese government have over the Japanese media? Is it likely that the J-media is just doing what the J-government wants them to tell the J-people?

ianToday  01:50 pm JST

What you posted clearly shows they do distinguish

No, “It is estimated” because there are no official statistics.

And if there are no official statistics it would only be on the number of people who died of other causes that are also corona positive. No special reason to count them.

The number of people who died due to corona should be known and precise because they are tracking it, the data is important in managing the epidemic

I'm honestly fascinated by what the J-gov has been trying to do. No testing, no statistics before the Olympics. And now free testing, daily statistics, and up-to-date reporting.

For 2 and a half years now we’ve been reading about not enough beds. Like, considering the situation was long seen to be ongoing, was it so, so difficult to make extra beds? Like, what is that??

“No restrictions,” says the only country in the world banning foreign tourists while its own citizens are free to come and go

Yeah, but, nothing in this sentence is actually correct.

Human immunity have been improving gradually with facing to Cov-19. Even though someone infected, it is easy to recover. Those kind of cases have been increasing,so I accept Japanese govermment decision.

However, Worry is hospital capacity during pandemic. Many local hospital cannot afford to accepting lots of patients, because of lack of capacity. I hope local goverment will keep doing an effort with hospital to make a better acceptance system.

There IS no strain on the hospital system.

There are plenty empty beds IF the gov forces private hospitals to accept covid patients....plenty hospital beds.

There are plenty beds if the stop the policy of mandatory hospitalisation of people over 50 testing positive whether they need it or not.

In Tokyo there are 129 people in severe care beds........out of how many millions??!! THIS is not a problem!!!

cleo

Sorry, but in the situation that was presented to the world long ago in early 2020, your answer just makes no sense at all.

“No restrictions,” says the only country in the world banning foreign tourists while its own citizens are free to come and go.

while its own citizens are free to come and go.

Even if that's true it's not Japan who decided that, it's the decision of other countries to allow them to come

Expect the numbers to go up up up. This past week in Kyoto you couldn't walk anywhere the city had so many people. Many with mask on some with out but I don't see the numbers going no where but up up up!!

The fastest way to stop the spread is to get those with even the mildest of symptoms …. Out of circulation…. Ramp up testing…. 31 months and counting and it’s like we just got our 1st case and don’t know what to do. It’s pretty simple…. Get vaccinated and/ or boosted asap! Some protection against a severe case is better than zero ! Follow the 3 C’s…/ mask up with your safety or those around you is compromised…..

What do you think "ramping up testing" will do?? Case numbers are irrelevant!! 98% of cases are nothing more than a flu!! Ramping up testing will just ramp up hysteria as the media continually push a 25th millionth waaaaaavvvvvvveeee!! Settle down FFS!! Vaccines are effective at reducing illness for the vast majority of people.

It certainly looks like another destroyed summer vacation season is on the cards. Dam!!

check how many cases and how many deaths as results.

there nothing like "tiny rope".

virus is not going anywhere will stay here for a while.

all of us have to understand that and live with it.

virus will mutate to many new versions and seems be much less deadly than original covid started some years ago.

vaccines used are pointless as even vaccinated people are getting infected and spreading virus even they are face masked-reality from my life backed two weeks ago.Guys with triple vaccine/and were ready for 4th one/get covid and even they have used facemasks 24/7 they have infected whole company staff-both vaccinated and not vaccinated people.another facts-non vaccinated people had faster progress and get better much earlier than those triple vaccinated ones.these are real facts and from real life.

i understand that j gov have invested again tons of money in new 4th shots and will ask people to get vaccinated again even they knows these vaccinates will help nothing.its just business for some-make money from fear created by media and make fat profit by selling unnefective product.with zero risk.fully funded by gov/our taxes/.

stay safe take care,live your life as usual.there is a beautiful day outside today,go out of house to nature,do some hiking,sports,fishing,camping...

Some countries are reporting less than 30% are hospitalized “due to corona” and 70% “with corona”. Same for counting of deaths, it does not distinguish between dying with the infection and dying from the infection

What you posted clearly shows they do distinguish

How is that possible???

That have been explained to you repeatedly, variants makes that possible. The same argument that defeat your position keeps doing it, even if you try to ignore it. Something can be effective at preventing deaths and they can still increase thanks to other factors that act increasing the numbers.

Everyone who is hospitalized is not vaccinated, and they are all antivaxxers, right?

No, that is still again your strawman and not the completely valid explanation from the experts. Just by accepting you need this fallacy you are accepting the real explanation defeats your arguments.

This is the fault of the media and of all the idiots with their fear mongering BS, which they spread day in day out.

Blaming the media for repeating what the experts said is another fallacy, and clearly shows your interest is not about the real situation but how you can spin it, even if that means misleading other people.

vaccines used are pointless as even vaccinated people are getting infected and spreading virus even they are face masked-reality from my life backed two weeks ago

According to the experts this is completely false information, do you have any evidence that proves it? because they do and it proves vaccines are useful preventing serious complications and deaths, and even help reducing transmission and infection. That would be the opposite of pointless.

If the recommendations were just to consume doses it would be for all the population, that is of course not true, so it clearly shows this supposed conspiracy is not real.

It's mild regardless of vaccination status.

Then how is it that studies keep finding increased protection with vaccines? are the death rates false? if the disease had no reduced complications as you said this would be impossible to find.

Japan, being an island nation and with healthcare available to all, should lead the world in the lowest infection and Covid related deaths rate.

That would be what? one of the African nations? You are of course not talking about China, that not only have a higher death rate that many of them, they have to hide over 90% of their deaths to pretend they are doing fine and even so they have been heavily criticized for having a public health system so fragile that it would be destroyed even with mild symptomatic cases happening. So they have to persist with their unsustainable policy to avoid it. That is not an example to follow.

It is estimated than less than half of “covid patients” are in the hospital due to covid

Any source for this happening in Japan?

Same for counting of deaths, it does not distinguish between dying with the infection and dying from the infection. 

If covid is an important contributing factor to the death there is no point in making the distinction. With that approach you would have 0% of people dying "of" malnutrition, they would all die from causes like infection or dehydration, does this means that for you malnutrition is not a problem?

The Japanese government currently has no plans to impose restrictions amid the seventh wave of coronavirus infections, but it remains to be seen whether the medical system will be able to endure the cost of this decision.

Japan's government has chosen to basically hide its head int he sand, while many of its neighbors employed successfully a zero covid strategy like Vietnam, Taiwan, and China--which has the lowest rate of infections and related deaths in the world according to statistical data and global experts (argued against by non-medical professionals though).

Currently in Japan, various prefectures are already beginning to feel the strain on their healthcare systems.

Japan plainly failed to plan ahead, and thought it could get away with a late roll-out and dependent on current vaccines.

hospital strain

Attention Anti Vaxxers: This is the point of the vaccines. It is not (in most cases) to save your life and/or hospitalization. The purpose is to save needed ICUs for other non-COVID patients who need them. Imagine if everyone had the vaccines and how this would benefit the medical system for all. It's a shame the anti vaxxers think Bill Gates is collaborating with Hillary to implant nanochips in our bodies through the COVID vaccine.

This. Then again, you knew already, Looters Don't

dagonToday 07:27 am JST

The Japanese government currently has no plans to impose restrictions amid the seventh wave of coronavirus infections, but it remains to be seen whether the medical system will be able to endure the cost of this decision.

The LDP tightrope during the pandemic has always been how to avoid providing assistance to the public and offload most of the discomfort and difficult preventative measures onto the unsupported public.

The primary reason for government's existence and taxation is collective support in the event of a crisis.

No, “It is estimated” because there are no official statistics.

You mentioned 30% and 70% did you make those up?

This story is very difficult to follow . It’s full of open ends …. What’s if’s…. And even few misleading statements . For starters … Other than the border controls, we’ve NEVER had any restrictions here! Never had even a hint of a lockdown…. The “tightrope” they’re walking is nonexistent. They basically admit that they are purposely keeping the number of those who are hospitalized in a building we all know as an actual hospital artificially low . These patients that are transferred to “hotels or other facilities” are still rightfully listed as “hospitalized.” The actual number of hospitalizations is unsustainable rather they be in an actual hospital or other facility….

Hospitalizations 629,406

Change from previous day +58,006

Patients with mild to moderate symptoms of Covid can take dramatic turns for the worse at any moment moment. I would’ve thought the jgov would’ve learned in waves 1-6 how to better manage..:. Otherwise normal healthy people died because they were refused hospital admission…. In some cases …. Even to a hotel …. This story would want people to believe that only people with other health problems get severe symptoms…. That’s just patently false…. The one statement in the entire article that is most accurate and at least an honest admission…. “the system is "on the verge of collapse." Well …, every new case of Covid starts of with mild cold like symptoms…. Are they supposed to truly wait until they’re on deaths door to go to the hospital? Or call an ambulance??? The fastest way to stop the spread is to get those with even the mildest of symptoms …. Out of circulation…. Ramp up testing…. 31 months and counting and it’s like we just got our 1st case and don’t know what to do. It’s pretty simple…. Get vaccinated and/ or boosted asap! Some protection against a severe case is better than zero ! Follow the 3 C’s…/ mask up with your safety or those around you is compromised…..

For 2 and a half years now we’ve been reading about not enough beds. Like, considering the situation was long seen to be ongoing, was it so, so difficult to make extra beds? Like, what is that??

It's not an issue, hence the no restrictions. When ICUs were necessary then maybe it was an issue, but just finding hospital beds is no problem. The government just has to show them the money and beds will magically appear.

Guys we're all all safe, the JGov will be monitoring the situation followed by teeth sucking.

My wife had fever and I said no tests and she agreed. 3 days later she was fine.

Yeah, and how many people became ill because of her not getting a test to check? Here is a major reason why the numbers are exploding again.

People with no symptoms or mild one's, continue to go about their daily lives, infecting all those around them.

Daame! Daame! When I'm being able to go home??

The situation is even more serious in Okinawa, with the island prefecture reporting a record 4,165 new infections Sunday and a hospital bed occupancy rate of around 60 percent.

A little accuracy in wording would be appreciated! The occupancy rate for COVID patients is OVER 60% saying "around" is ambiguous and could be read to be UNDER. The occupancy rates are used to determine if and any measures are to be taken to prevent further spread, and doctors ARE not putting people into hospitals even if they come in with serious, life threatening symptoms.

"We dont put younger people in the hospital! It's for the older patients!" Said to a 22 year old patient, who was brought into the hospital with a fever of 42C, extreme difficultly with breathing. He got placed in a local "quarantine" hotel, while still having a fever running between 39C and 40C.

To the folks who say the numbers are falling, read the link to the Okinawa Times, only one day in the past month have infections been less than the prior week, and this past week alone was over 20,000 . Total infections reported on island, will go over 300,000 total, in a prefecture with a population of 1.4 million people, and the main island having close to 1.1 million. Roughly over 21%

By comparison, Tokyo has had a total of about 1.75 million cases of COVID out of a population of what, close to 14 million people? So Tokyo's percentage is roughly 12% of the population.

Things are not so good here, but folks have stopped caring!

https://www.okinawatimes.co.jp/articles/gallery/993292?ph=3

No, “It is estimated” because there are no official statistics.

Again, if someone would have lived decades with their chronic problem except that it got covid and caused it to be out of control until the patient died, what would be the importance of making that distinction? covid was still the disease that caused indirectly the death anyway.

People focusing on deaths are missing a huge part of the problem. The long term effects of COVID and it's variants are unknown, and not to mention that the medical system here is being pushed to it's limits not due to people dying, but by long term hospitalization and care.

At this rate it's just a matter of time

SOE is just around the corner. Kishida is going to close the border again.

Monty nailed it: many people in this country go to the hospital for the slightest of symptoms. I guess that is to be expected when a country has such a good medical system that is so affordable

Its also largely due to the fact that Japanese do not self medicate as people do in other countries. Not to mention that the majority of over the counter medications are crap compared to what they get in a hospital and cheaper as well.

Its not just about affordability, it's about a lack of health education and a literal plethora of other reasons, that would take a volume of books to cover.

The Japanese government currently has no plans to impose restrictions amid the seventh wave of coronavirus infections,

Japan, being an island nation and with healthcare available to all, should lead the world in the lowest infection and Covid related deaths rate.

It doesn't.