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© Thomson Reuters 2020.Tokyo to further relax restrictions on Monday, Koike says
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Strangerland
This was expected, and how it will be for the next couple of years, while we develop medicines to help, and/or herd immunity to deal with it. We're not going to open up anywhere and not have new spikes. That would belie all logic, since the virus is still out there, and we don't have herd immunity.
The whole point of isolating, quarantining, social distancing, contact tracing, and other measures, was to give the medical systems enough time to prepare for these spikes when we did open back up, and to deal with them when they happen.
Anyone who is surprised at them, and anyone who say that because of the spikes we need to quarantine indefinitely, has not yet understood the measures the epidemiologists are recommending, nor why they are recommending them.
Justin Person
The cost to people's health is extremely, extremely low. And out of that overwhelming low percentage of people who get ill, another extremely, extremely low number die. Meanwhile people can't feed their families, pay their bills, or seek routine medical treatment in huge amounts. This is the real cost to people's health. It's time to stop the panic and hysteria and start the task of moving forward with this new challenge.
carpslidy
2m distance is a complete waste of time. How many cases of people getting sick from standing together in the park or supermarket, joggers or sports equipment have there been?
It spreads from prolonged close interaction in enclosed spaces.
I.e hospitals, care homes, houses, bars
Kitchener Leslie
“In other big cities in the world, with much more higher cases, (400 or more every day), they reopen already Cinemas, swimming Pools...”
They have more cases because they actually test people. Japan’s handling of testing has been very shady to say the least.
kusaisaru
Might be a weird blip in the data, but cases appear to be increasing in Tokyo over the past week or so. Keep on the lookout here:
https://stopcovid19.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/en/
Last week cases:
5/29 22 cases
5/28 15
5/27 11
5/26 10
5/25 8
5/24 14
5/23 2
5/22 3
vanityofvanities
Threat of the coronavirus is not gone. Koike and other leaders are toning down recently since economic damages are becoming serious. Holding down the pandemics and saving economy is a big dilemma. I think a solution is increasing tests - various tests are being developed. Even if they do not prove 100% accuracy, employ them as many as possible if possible to all the people. Then economy will recover sooner.
Fuzzy
This is spot on. It was never about eliminating the virus, but all about preventing the health system from becoming overwhelmed. That's the measure that needs to be watched going forward and actions dialed up and down accordingly. It's not black and white like so many want it to be. Full lockdowns don't work and trying to go back to pre-covid life is also not viable. We need to find the balance.
Artemis Rogers
Life is risk. Every time you ever went out your front door you took a risk, even of death, by some means other than corona. Stopping the world for corona may slow corona down but it won't be eliminated anyway. Drawn out lockdowns are like trying to use a sledgehammer to kill a mosquito in your house...you won't kill the mosquito but you will destroy your house.
Going from single digits back to double digits in a nation of 125,000,000 people is hardly a basis for talking about an increase. It was always there, with way more asymptomatic people than sick people and under-reported for lack of testing and not even knowing who to test with limited kits.
Strangerland
I'm ready to go out and risk it.
I'm young(ish), and have lived a life of health. I quit smoking nearly 20 years ago, and I don't drink.
Sure I run a risk of getting serious infection. But it's very unlikely.
Monty
I just went for Lunch to a Ramen Shop. Many people wait outside. So I thought, Wow, everyone is enjoying going out.
But the reason for the people waiting outside was, that the Ramen Shop Staff let only 5 people in. And everyone have to sit separate. Even families!
And before you can go in, the staff measured my fever and they put sanitizer on my hands.
So I felt very safe to eat my Ramen for today lunch!
Silvafan
This might have been over some people's heads, but how will we actually know if it is truly a good idea or not. Testing is sporadic, and hospitals have been refusing people that actually show symptoms of the virus.
Monty
Very good decision.
As long as people follow the basic rules for prevention, wear masks, wash hands, use sanitizer...everything will be fine.
In other big cities in the world, with much more higher cases, (400 or more every day), they reopen already Cinemas, swimming Pools...
hotelstar
I don't understand all the criticism of not testing enough. Testing has been low because it has been targeted at clusters and transition chains.
If Abenomask cost almost half a BILLION dollars, how much will blanket testing cost? Both funds could be put to better use in easing peoples every day lives.
Anyway, the point is to reduce deaths as much as possible, not count how many people are sick or asymptomatic to join the global daily stats phenomenon.
Benjamin Weinmann
People will get comfortable, then lazy. Wait for the 2nd wave.
smithinjapan
oldman_13: "Well done Japan. Time for the world to reopen already."
Exactly! I mean, why would a surge in cases again cause you to be safe, right? Remember when staying home led to there being new cases in the single digits? Well, it therefore makes perfect sense to go out again and carry on "normal" life when things are lifted and you're back into the double digits again.
I thought you said old men could change, yesterday. Clearly they cannot.
hotelstar: " don't understand all the criticism of not testing enough. Testing has been low because it has been targeted at clusters and transition chains."
No, it has been low because 1) They refused sets of tests from foreign countries/companies because they wanted to invest in domestic development and consumption. 2) when the local tests were proven failures, or even the ability to produce them, it seemed easier just not to test because after all, no test, no result. 3) the Olympics: Japan intentionally avoided testing and reporting results so as to downplay the infection rate out of fear of how it would affect the Games. Once the Games got shelved, suddenly there was a problem. You see, it's all about money, and appearing to be safe. It's not actually about tracing, as you suggest, given Japan lost that ability when they let the evacuees from Wuhan go home on local trains, and people off the Diamond Princess who were positive for the virus and whom they "forgot" to test. You're saying Japan has the second-worst testing rate out of developed countries because it's tracing, when Japan has admitted they have no idea where people are getting it from?
Monty
@Artemis Rogers
Very good Post!
mmwkdw
So are they testing ? And if so, who gets tested in order to be included in these infection counts ?
kurisupisu
Herd immunity ?
Who will put their up to be culled next for ‘herd immunity’?
Serrano
An official banner of social distance awareness is attached on a window where a man and a woman are reflected
Yeah, they aren't 2 meters apart, in fact it looks like they might even be holding hands.
It is impossible to go into any store and maintain 2 meters distance.
The economy needs to keep moving yes. But at what cost to people's health?
And out of that overwhelming low percentage of people who get ill, another extremely, extremely low number die.
Actually the coronavirus spreads more easily and has a higher death rate than the average flu.
But if the economy doesn't recover quickly, we'll see a lot more suffering and deaths than this virus causes.
Ichiro Endo
Now it’s time when many business reopen to recover economy.
all owners of each business are required to get a sufficient preparation for preventing the infection.
AgentX
The doomsayers are trying to preface their told-you-so's by continuously talking about 'the 2nd wave'. As if the first one was that bad anyway... And, yes, of course there will be a 2nd wave - it's a virus! Locking yourself and others indoors will not stop the virus. It's simply impossible. The virus is going to run its course no matter how much people cower from it. But here's the good news, it's only a little worse than seasonal flu.
Vince Black
Word. But the majority of posters on JT would disagree and join the Armageddon bandwagon. Well, let them stay home if they feel better about thing, meanwhile we can get on with things.
mmwkdw
Anyway, I think it would be prudent to, if you can do so, not return to the office for another 2 weeks or so, and see how things go in terms of reported new infection cases - that is, assuming, that the Government doesn't suppress such reporting under the new National security laws, or even take a leaf out of the UK Governments playbook, and forget to record cases.
kurisupisu
I was out at the beach today,along with many others even though the beach was closed?!?
The water was great though I was surprised to see jellyfish in the water flouting social
distancing advice....
kurisupisu
So the number of cases has been increasing?
Other prefectures have not been showing new cases for days or weeks now.
However, restrictions are being softened in Tokyo?
Once again Tokyo re-emerges as the centre of the epidemic!
JCosplay
Yep, just another stage up. I’m really happy for Japan, which has been hit too hard with the fires. They have 2.6 unemployment rate, but the US where I live, they have over 13%. Needless to say, I’m happy with this development. And actually, a few outdoor restaurants in Jersey, where I live, are starting to open up. Once again, very happy.
Manybells
Every country that is opened up - Sweden, Singapore, Sourh Korea, middle USA has seen a serious increase in cases. Even in places like Australia where their initial count was low.
The economy needs to keep moving yes. But at what cost to people's health? It's great to say 'wash your hands, social distance' but Tokyo is too crowded.
longtimenosee
Everyone needs to wear a mask.
People are going to confuse "opening up" with "no need for mask."
By my count, 2 in 10 people are not wearing face coverings, or wearing incorrectly.
Jtsnose
Mainland China has been down to single digits, even zero for the past months . . . https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=tjHSXujhC9n5tAa-xZuYDg&q=Coronavirus%2C+China+graph&oq=Coronavirus%2C+China+graph&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQAzICCAA6BQgAEIMBUK0VWKNGYIBJaABwAHgAgAF6iAGAEpIBBDE4LjaYAQCgAQGqAQdnd3Mtd2l6&sclient=psy-ab&ved=0ahUKEwjolKn4rNvpAhXZPM0KHb7iBuMQ4dUDCAw&uact=5#spf=1590833599934
. . . calls to mind their use of Avigan, in addition to protective measures.
oldman_13
Well done Japan.
Time for the world to reopen already.
Vince Black
Great. Finally getting past this nonsense
Age of Asparagus
Cases are bound to go up when more people get out and about, because their immune systems are weakened due to being cooped up inside.
Mirai Hayashi
Opening when there's been an upward tick of infections? Not a great idea!