No. of flu patients rises in Japan with 1.24 mil reported in a week

refraining from going to crowded places

Good luck with that if you live in Tokyo, Osaka, Yokohama, etc. or if you WORK..

Above.

Masks are just another surface area for the virus to land and thrive on.

Please stop repeating the lie that wearing a mask protects yourself and others. You should be telling people who are sick to stay at home instead, that actually does stop the spread of flu. Not only that, why not actually plan larger stocks of vaccine next time, there is a shortage every year in Japan.

The only protection is regular washing and staying away for confined/crowded place.

Trains being a good example.

Oh...and a hellova lotta luck!

My youngest, who's five, is off 16th to 18th this week with flu. She hasn't got it, but 5 out of 20 kids in her class at daycare do. 20%, i.e., 4 kids, is enough for full class shutdown, with no alternative care provided for the healthy kids. They are told to stay home and not go out.

If she catches flu herself, she'll be off for five days. Likewise if four other kids catch it at the same time.

This is called gakkyu heisa. I was amazed when I found out about it. Its like a kick in the face to any working mother. Employers have to be sympathetic not only to family illness but other families' illnesses. I guess the easiest solution is to not give working mothers any big responsibilities. I think you'd have to be blind to not see this as a structural barrier to female advancement.

I did a google to see what people thought of it but it seems so engrained that people just expect it. There were even bitchy comments blaming people for not making arrangements and taking their job seriously.

My wife was a victim, she was out for a week.

cough into your elbow, not your hands. Reduces transmission dramatically

Japanese love their masks and have no idea of their public health function, otherwise they'd replace them every hour instead of wearing the same mask all day or over many days

Flu is also a particular problem with the Japanese shared bath setup. This particular style makes it easy for transmission and is a big problem in age homes as well as families.

There are changes to managing flu that would be effective but due to ingrained social norms make it more difficult to overcome

flu jabs are only for children and old people.

No, they are not. Those with lung and heart disease or other chronic illnesses should have them, as should those working with the old and sick.

There is a lot of ignorance here about the flu jab, vaccinations in general and how flu is transmitted.

I find people who get regular preventative shots, grew up taking anti biotics whenever they got sick, took meds when they got a fever (instead of developing an immune system) and eat junk food get sick all the time.

I have been back in Japan for about 17 years, never got a shot or took meds, work in the filthiest environment for germs, and have gotten the flu twice in all that time. My co workers who over medicate seem to get it annually.

The only time you'll see me wearing a mask is if I rob a bank.

Priceless!!!

how effective can masks be in a country where everyone wears them and so many get the flu each and every year?

And there were exactly.. zero fatalities (at least I haven't heard of any)

And how many reporting systems are you following?

It would be interesting to see what percent of all those infected, took their flu shoots. 

And how many of those did not, and the difference between fatal rates between groups, etc. You know, what epidemiologist that recommend vaccination and use of masks do for a living.

I'm sure the thimerosal or aluminum particles used as a preservative in the flu vaccines, accumulating on the blood brain barrier can't be good.

In the BBB? of course it could, after all accumulating things IN barriers usually works on their benefit. But never mind, there is no such thing even described so there is no need to worry about imaginary things that may be better or worse.

Not to mention the unknown long term effects on the immune system!

Effects that also include natural infection, something that its affects much more the system for longer time.

stop eating chicken. Mushrooms increase IgA, your immunity response

citation needed. "increasing" the immune response CAN make an infection more lethal you know?

how effective can masks be in a country where everyone wears them and so many get the flu each and every year?

Epidemiologist do that work and they recommend it, if something is not 100% effective that does not mean its useless, same with every single other measure.

whether you had your shot or not, eat a cup of mushrooms a day, and your immunity response will increase. Allowing your body to fight back (they looked, it's science)

Looking for something and finding it are very different things, fortunately because "increasing" the immune response (depending on the specifics) can results in much worse disease or even higher rates of death.

Strange! I never wear a mask coz it's a waste of time and have worked in high schools and travelled on crowded trains for over a decade,

If only people could study millions of examples instead of you single one, and keep all relevant information like levels of immunoglobulins, neutralization titer, etc etc (that you probably could not even know).

Wait! they do in every country, and they say exactly the opposite of your opinion, sorry, you need to find and document at least as many examples and publish it for you opinion to be treated with the same weight.

Those masks are useless at preventing the flu

No they aren not, they are very useful, same as all other science proved measures.

People use these masks all day and keep touching them adjusting them. They transfer any virus bacteria they come into contact with to the mask and it thrives. 

People "wash" their fingertips for half a second, of course that means that washing your hands is also useless.

They tell all the kids they have to wear a mask, but at least a third of the students and faculty end up with influenza. This should be enough to convince the the masks are ineffective

I bet they tell all the kids the have to wash their hands properly but since a third end up sick that is good enough for you to convince you that washing your hands is ineffective, right?

It's just a Japanese thing. 

Wait, so Japan controls the WHO and every other important health institution on the planet? because those are the people that say that mask used properly are effective and recommend their use. Based on science.

They are also quite bad manners in respect to effective communication

So its to refuse a handshake in western countries, but if it is an effective measure to prevent a serious and possibly lethal disease manners should not have any weight in the decision of doing it or not.

It seems to be the luck of the draw. Sure, you can take preventative measures, but by the same token, you might be involved in situatuons in which you are more at risk. For example you keep your hands washed thoroughly, and avoid touching your face, but then the average person touches their face a bunch while sleeping.

Flu carriers have no symptoms for a few days after contracting the virus yet are contagious at that time. You might get a flu shot, but get another form of the virus. Alls you can do is take care of yourself and keep your fingers crossed, really.

It's not a lie. If masks are used effectively, they protect both the wearer and others.

According to the WHO, for a mask to be effective against germs it must be a 12x surgical mask and changed every 20 minutes as soon as it becomes moist. The masks people are wearing around the streets all day are simply dust masks and are effectively bacteria factories.

if the body doesn't gain experience fighting of diseases it starts to attack itself.

That is not true, a lot of autoimmune problems are caused precisely because you get exposed to natural infections, and more importantly there is no advantage in that aspect from fighting a real pathogen or a vaccine, the immune system is activated and produces a response in the same way after a vaccine, and more importantly when you get infected with the real virus it activates AGAIN the same as if you were not vaccinated, the only difference is that the vaccine gives the body a higher percentage of chance of survival.

Your argument would apply only to measures that eliminate contact with the pathogen, for example washing your hands, but with vaccines it makes no sense.

I agree in some point that mask actually never helps to prevent spreading flu because it's not "worn correctly". 

Masks should cover the mouth and nose and be tied in a way that minimizes any gaps between the face and mask

2.Avoid touching the mask while it is worn

3.Replace the mask with a clean, dry one when it becomes damp/humid

4.Decontaminate hands by washing with soap and water or using an alcohol-based handrub after mask disposal

I didn't think so virusrex...

Which is not something rare, epidemiologist are on the payroll precisely because its not simple nor easy to understand what kind of things affect the presentation of disease, thinking that one single factor can tell you how many people will get sick or not its to a certain point how our brains are wired, it requires years of training to get rid of that and become able to search for all variables instead of focusing only on the obvious ones.

called on the public to wear masks or cover their mouths with a handkerchief so as not to spread flu through sneezing or coughing.

When is this fallacy going to end? If you have a hospital/surgical mask that has been treated that's one thing, but the flu is NOT spread airborne. It's just a comfort feature for such a close living society.

Washing your hands, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, before sanitizing your hands is a better prevention strategy than just wearing a mask.

Getting a flu shot is NOT going to prevent catching the flu either here, as Japan uses a "dead" virus. Getting the shot may lessen the symptoms if you catch it, but it is NOT a preventative measure, contrary to the overwhelming public belief to the contrary. (Yes, it is helpful for those that are exposed to the flu virus, and or should be getting it due to doctors instructions, but there is NO need to "follow the crowd" if you are basically healthy and have a basically healthy lifestyle, those shots are not cheap for what they are supposed to do!)

Also there are at least two different strains of the "A" and "B" strains of influenza, it IS possible to catch either one twice! (Can PERSONALLY attest to that fact with one of my sons, caught BOTH types of "A" this season)

Get enough rest, drink fluids, wash and sanitize your hands, eat right, and go on with life!

Please stop repeating the lie that wearing a mask protects yourself and others.

It's not a lie. If masks are used effectively, they protect both the wearer and others.

Strange! I never wear a mask coz it's a waste of time and have worked in high schools and travelled on crowded trains for over a decade, yet I have never had influenza or an anti-flu injection. However, I do wash my hands regularly and keep my fingers out of my eyes. I also use the hand sanitiser every time I walk past one. Those masks are useless at preventing the flu. In fact, they create the perfect environment for a virus to thrive. Plenty of fresh air, warmth and moisture. Perfect! Most flu strains are touch virus and not airborne. People use these masks all day and keep touching them adjusting them. They transfer any virus bacteria they come into contact with to the mask and it thrives. Then, they scratch their eyes and get sick through their eyes, not mouth or nose. I see it every winter in the high schools. They tell all the kids they have to wear a mask, but at least a third of the students and faculty end up with influenza. This should be enough to convince the the masks are ineffective, but no! They just keep wearing them, touching them and getting sick. It's impossible to make them realise, it is the masks that are making them sick. Stoopid!

@Virusrex - I bet they tell all the kids the have to wash their hands properly but since a third end up sick that is good enough for you to convince you that washing your hands is ineffective, right?

What is this rubbish? Washing your hands regularly and properly is the most effective way of avoiding catching the flu. The fact so many students get sick tells you they are not washing their hands regularly or properly. Looking at the rest of your posts tells me you are an internet virus.

I wear a mask sometimes because the children (and adults!! why??) I commute and work with don't always cover when they cough and sneeze. I think they also help me to avoid inadvertently touching my face.

My main strategies for avoiding colds and influenza: brush teeth soon upon waking and often throughout the day, wash hands every hour or so. Avoid eating meals with coworkers who are coughing/sneezing/complaining of feeling ill. Avoid nomikai, parties, and eating out during peak season. Drink my concoction of lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and honey once a day + eat an apple or orange once a day.

So far I have gotten influenza only once in my life, and I've never been vaccinated.

Had the flu shot. Caught A still from my sister in law who sneezed right in my face who had A and didn't know it. Took the nasal. One week pay deduction because in Japanese companies you have to stay home a week. Watched Godless on Netflix.

Surprisingly though, the nasal treatment had me on my feet the next day. Good stuff.

When is this fallacy going to end? If you have a hospital/surgical mask that has been treated that's one thing, but the flu is NOT spread airborne. It's just a comfort feature for such a close living society.

Its not a fallacy, 3 ply masks available in every convenience store are extremely effective at reducing the spreading of influenza PRECISELY because its not airborne but depends on droplets. The masks work for both the people that try to avoid infecting others and the people that are trying to avoid getting infected.

Washing your hands, and avoiding touching your eyes, nose, or mouth, before sanitizing your hands is a better prevention strategy than just wearing a mask.

Good luck with that, its as effective as telling people to that the best way to avoid STDs is to avoid having sex at all. The time that pass between touching a contaminated surface and then your face its usually measured in seconds, its impossible in any practical way to do avoid it while commuting. Using properly a mask is in comparison much more simple and effective.

but there is NO need to "follow the crowd" if you are basically healthy and have a basically healthy lifestyle, those shots are not cheap for what they are supposed to do!

Every year "healthy" people die from complications from influenza, reducing the probability of dying significantly is not usually considered a waste of money.

Get enough rest, drink fluids, wash and sanitize your hands, eat right, and go on with life!

Or, do all that AND get a vaccine, use masks properly, fortunately you can practice ALL effective measures because they are not opposed.

Please stop repeating the lie that wearing a mask protects yourself and others. You should be telling people who are sick to stay at home instead,

Not really, you should be doing both, healthy people avoid being infected by using masks, and people can become vectors before having more than mild symptoms, if you use a mask routinely in influenza season you can protect others from infection on that period before you realize you are infected yourself.

Masks are just another surface area for the virus to land and thrive on.

There is absolutely no replication of viruses in masks, you are confused between viruses and bacteria.

The only protection is regular washing and staying away for confined/crowded place.

No, those are some of the measures, and they are not possible for many people. Fortunately you can follow many protective measures without real problem, just follow the science.

This is called gakkyu heisa. I was amazed when I found out about it. Its like a kick in the face to any working mother.

But it has it meaning and it has to be enforced. Children become infective frequently BEFORE having symptoms, letting only the obviously sick children rest is a recipe to getting every other kid infected before the end of the season. Yes, its bad and terribly inconvenient but its still much better than getting every kid sick, specially because a certain percentage of them are going to die because of it.

The only time you'll see me wearing a mask is if I rob a bank.

Which is part of the problem, same as with people that belive themselves immune to STDs, rejecting the science puts you and those around you at risk but lots of people take pride on doing it.

It's not a lie. If masks are used effectively, they protect both the wearer and others.

I NEVER wear a mask, and have not had the flu at all in Japan. Everyone around me is dropping like flies, though despite ALL wearing masks...

Just about every other nation does just fine without masks, too. It's just a Japanese thing. And they look ridiculous! They are also quite bad manners in respect to effective communication.

Tried to say: Again, why are the many nations that do NOT have an obsession with wearing masks doing so well in comparison to Japan when it comes to flu outbreaks?

masks are for allergies, not virus or bacteria.

I didn't think so virusrex...

flu jabs are only for children and old people.

i also had the flu over New Year, 6 days. luckily i was in Okinawa so i slept on the beach most days.

I ask people to remove their mask when they are talking to me so I can understand them. After they do, I always notice some dust or something on their eyelids or glasses and tell them so they can wipe them off.

@virusrex - a lot of what you say is quite alarmist. And I downright disagree with the last sentence that was directed at me. Again, why are the many nations that do have an obsession with wearing masks doing so well in comparison to Japan when it comes to flu outbreaks?

No doubts masks are effective when they are, as you say, 'used properly'. For example, I would be very concerned if a surgeon were not using one. But a surgeon takes a number of other steps, too...

In the context of the Japanese public, they are are simply a hindrance to good communication and have unfounded faith placed in them. They simply enable people to hide their face most of the time, which is very much a Japanese thing.

The main enabler of outbreaks is that people live like sardines in a can in most of their daily life, and are overworked. A cotton mask is not going to fix that.

Lastly, are you denying that there is some merit to simply 'hardening up' and taking a bug on the chin every now and then? Doctors and nurses, for example, are renowned for their strong immune systems after regularly having been exposed to different viruses. Simply relying on antibiotics (which is making bugs stronger) and hiding from the outside world is more detrimental to our species than an occasional bug-threat IMO.

Those with lung and heart disease or other chronic illnesses should have them

of course, but my point is that it should be used for the weaker people who don't have a strong immune system. if the body doesn't gain experience fighting of diseases it starts to attack itself.

Yabaru

Best post in a long while. Great advice sir.

I too ain't buying this mask nonsense for exactly the reasons you stated. And if my employers insist, then I will tell them to take a hike.

whether you had your shot or not, eat a cup of mushrooms a day, and your immunity response will increase. Allowing your body to fight back (they looked, it's science)

..And there were exactly.. zero fatalities (at least I haven't heard of any).. It would be interesting to see what percent of all those infected, took their flu shoots. What a hoax. I'm sure the thimerosal or aluminum particles used as a preservative in the flu vaccines, accumulating on the blood brain barrier can't be good. Not to mention the unknown long term effects on the immune system! Good Luck sheeple!

From this...

Masks are just another surface area for the virus to land and thrive on.

We get this....

There is absolutely no replication of viruses in masks, you are confused between viruses and bacteria.

please explain how I am confused?

i made no mention of bacteria or replication