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1st community spread of Omicron variant reported in Osaka Prefecture

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Bad news!

Keep the borders closed!

-24 ( +12 / -36 )

This could be a good thing, perhaps an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine.

-11 ( +7 / -18 )

At this moment President Biden and others are going all out to get people inoculated. And meanwhile in Japan--nothing. Omicron likely in Osaka. Ho-hum. What's the worry?

1 ( +17 / -16 )

This goes to show that there's something wrong with testing and quantine procedures at the airports.

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

Good news. The sooner this milder variant rips through the population, the sooner the government can discontinue futile measures such as border closures.

-12 ( +12 / -24 )

Here we go…

9 ( +12 / -3 )

“Yoshimura called on residents to take measures to prevent infection " What? Like wearing a mask, washing your hands and social distancing? Isn’t that what everybody’s been doing for the last two years?

18 ( +19 / -1 )

If the results from Africa are anything to go by, there's not too much to worry about. Just ignore the scaremongers.

-6 ( +12 / -18 )

Did Goto mention when Go-To campaign will start?

14 ( +16 / -2 )

@prionking

Africa has been pretty mild regarding Covid so far, please don't use it as an example.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

Thank you Allen!

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Omicron is the Christmas gift we have all been waiting for to end this madness!!!!

Sth Africa's stats are testament to the mildness of this strain!

Merry Christmas!

-7 ( +11 / -18 )

@Newhirlintown.

”“Yoshimura called on residents to take measures to prevent infection " What? Like wearing a mask, washing your hands and social distancing? Isn’t that what everybody’s been doing for the last two years?”

what is wrong with that call?

if we had not done what we have for the last two, and many before COVID, the damage by COVID might have been a lot worse.

-8 ( +6 / -14 )

I may have had a very mild case of the virus last year, but if not, this version might be a good one to catch and get the naturally acquired immunity, if I don't have it already.

-1 ( +10 / -11 )

Raw BeerToday  05:00 pm JST

This could be a good thing, perhaps an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine.

LOL Obviously you didn't read the latest news that Omicron kills the unvaccinated!!!

So a good thing for who?

0 ( +11 / -11 )

“I may have had a very mild case of the virus last year, but if not, this version might be a good one to catch and get the naturally acquired immunity, if I don't have it already.“

my friend in the UK, who btw was double jabbed, said the other day he might intentionally get the new variant if it is to attack him… Not sure how that would end up bit hope all ends well.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

PaulToday  06:10 pm JST

Raw BeerToday  05:00 pm JST

*This could be a good thing, perhaps an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine.*

LOL Obviously you didn't read the latest news that Omicron kills the unvaccinated!!!

So a good thing for who?

The've been awfully ambiguous about that. People who have apparently died in these cases have had significant other comorbidities, and the reports have been coy about whether the people died WITH or OF the virus, citing "privacy reasons" in the case of the UK.

In other words, its BS. Fortunately the UK hasn't implemented more restrictions for now, probably because trust in the government continues to slide and fewer people are taking them seriously anymore.

For all Japan's faults, governments here has behaved reasonably well over the last couple of years, especially when compared to Australia, NZ, most of the US states, Canada, the UK and most of Europe. That said, Yoshimura never misses and opportunity to go on TV and look concerned.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

This could be a good thing, perhaps an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine.

LOL Obviously you didn't read the latest news that Omicron kills the unvaccinated!!!

So a good thing for who?

Were they killed by Omicron, or are they unvaccinated persons who died and happened to have been infected by Omicron?

Also, even if people are actually killed by Omicron, that number will most likely be lower than the number of people killed by the vaccines.

I believe the Omicron virus might produce milder symptoms than the current vaccines, while conferring broad long-lasting immunity (i.e., no need for boosters every 3-8 months).

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Trying to dodge the inevitable is pointless, has consequential costs and few benefits. Mild cases increase general antibody loads and protect against future variants.

There is no evidence that Omicron will impact the way Delta did and we now have multiple healthcare options. In a nation of 125 million people, news outlets are counting tiny numbers of deaths the way they logged higher flu deaths.

There is no point in hospitalising those with mild symptoms. It just puts people off being tested as they do not want to be dragged from their families and imprisoned in a hospital with others and an increasing viral load, or a hotel room for two weeks.

Governments seem intent on responding to previous variants rather than the one they are faced with.

As Covid has replaced seasonal flu, the mortality rate will probably decline from pre-pandemic norms again this year. We are hiding from this?

6 ( +12 / -6 )

We are hiding from this?

Yes!

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Of all the countries in the world we have had the least Covid deaths and cases

@Allen

Factually incorrect. But carry on.

In per capita Covid deaths, Japan is 153rd. Pretty good no?

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Still using the old ‘head in the sand’ policy. Omicron is extremely transmissible, now is not the time to sit back and wait.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Get vaccinated, get the booster, and if you catch it, the odds are high you will be asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms.

Just like the flu vaccination, it does not make you immune, it just lessens the symptoms if you catch it.

Why in the world are so many people CHOOSING to be ignoramuses' about this vaccine? Get the full regimen and if by chance you do catch it, you have a much better chance of surviving it!

Or you can choose to take Lysol instead.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

@Luddite

now is not the time to sit back and wait.

Well, they close the borders and are developing anti-Covid pills, what more could they do atm?

More vaxx shots?

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Why do they need to go in hospital? Are they in seriously bad shape? Why risk spreading it to folks in hospital who are sick already?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

This could be a good thing, perhaps an ideal live attenuated virus vaccine.

I may have had a very mild case of the virus last year, but if not, this version might be a good one to catch and get the naturally acquired immunity, if I don't have it already.

Since much safer vaccines are already available with less risk and proved efficacy there is no way this is a good thing to catch.

If the results from Africa are anything to go by, there's not too much to worry about. Just ignore the scaremongers.

The doctors of South Africa that deal with the patients are firm proponents of vaccination and boosters to control Omicron, they say you are wrong by saying there is not "too much to worry about".

In other words, its BS.

No, it is not, the same as the myocarditis that you firmly said never happened from COVID, until you found out you were totally wrong. In this case is the same, the evidence clearly points out that Omicron is not a safe infection to get (even the hospitalizations clearly indicate this) being in denial is not a rational position to take.

Were they killed by Omicron, or are they unvaccinated persons who died and happened to have been infected by Omicron?

COVID is clearly correlated with complications and deaths, saying people died "only" with Omicron is like saying children that die from easily treatable infections did it "only" with sever malnutrition. Unless you can prove there is no increase of the risk considering COVID (even from omicron) an important contributing factor is perfectly valid.

Mild cases increase general antibody loads and protect against future variants.

Vaccines do the same at a lesser level of risk, specially since they have already proved they provide protection against all variants identified until now. What evidence do you have that immunity by Omicron protects against other variants and will do it for further ones?

Governments seem intent on responding to previous variants rather than the one they are faced with.

Not really, governments learned not to understimate variants and take measures before it is too late, after all not being opportune have much higher cost in lives.

In per capita Covid deaths, Japan is 153rd. Pretty good no?

This is thanks to widespread vaccination and fanatic level obedience to social distancing rules, listening to the science instead of anti-scientific conspiracy believers.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

Also, even if people are actually killed by Omicron, that number will most likely be lower than the number of people killed by the vaccines.

Spreading disinformation is a terribly thing during a pandemic, pretending to know more than the experts and that an infection that frequently causes hospitalizations is "safer" than a vaccine that simply does not is deeply irresponsible, and too obviously biased.

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

You seem to be san expert so tell me, I’m unvaccinated and I haven’t caught even a sniffle these past two years. How is that possible that I’m healthy as can be and still alive!,, OH my goodness! According to you fully vaccinated individuals I’m supposed to be severely sick or dead by now. Lol

I never assumed to say that you should be sick or dead, that is your experience, but as you can see from the numbers around the world, millions have a different experience.

Just because you live a hermits life and stay away from those infected, that's fine for you.

It's childish and ignorant to state things like you have here, when I never said nor assumed them!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

The variant is here (obviously) but let’s not track the cases in Japan and keep the borders closed to any new arrival. Then wait until the cases are so numerous that you need a scapegoat and open the borders. Point fingers. Repeat.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Japan under 250 cases a day & one or two deaths.

The UK 88,00- 90,000 cases a day and around 50 deaths.

It seems Japan is doing something very right even with the low amount of meaningless testing.

he vaxxed and unvaxxed have something in common though ...They will never be fully vaccinated!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

The vaxxed that should read

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura said it is most likely Japan's first case of community spread 

The Gov. should have said “It is most likely Japan's first KNOWN case of community spread”

6 ( +8 / -2 )

AllenToday  06:20 pm JST

@paul

The supposed death in Texas, they haven’t even answered whether he had one vaccine or no vaccine. Remember Paul the term unvaccinated has changed.

It was reported a few days ago that the patient previously had a different covid infection, and that he was never vaccinated, and why are you claiming that it was a “supposed” death? Baseless statements are not helpful, but if that’s your way to live life, then carry on.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

I simply dont see why such the insistence for people to be traveling around all over the place at this exact moment.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

I still have only heard of 1 death. the person in Texas who we recently found died (omicron) positive but didnt necessarily die from omicron.

That is what the hospital spokesperson said- with omicron, yes. From omicron, unclear.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

@blacklabel « this exact moment » is approaching two years. I have a niece born in March 2020 that I have seen for 3 days in total (which costed me 6 days in hotel isolation once back), and that my son hasn’t met yet despite being his only cousin. I have lost most of my international consulting jobs, while the company like many others moved the regional headquarters elsewhere. During the same two years period, if she wanted my Japanese mother in law could have visited my country every month, enter without quarantine, meet all my family and friends, participate in all the work meetings I have skipped in two years, and come back. In the meantime, no member of my family, no colleague from my company, and obviously no friend have been able to enter Japan for two years. So it’s kind of the minimum that those of us who can travel, despite the obstacles and frankly absurdly unique situation, try to keep together the pieces of work and income and affects left. If you don’t see the reasons for us to travel, you have all your beloved ones here and a job that can be done from home or only requires you to take packed trains (notoriously not a place where viruses can thrive) to packed offices (no virus there) and end the day go to a packed soccer game (the minimum attendance has been of 5,000 people even during the state of emergency).

8 ( +11 / -3 )

Main problem with those governmental decisions is that they just offer some vague advice and just drop the ball of responsibility to us. And the key word is responsibility here, because Japanese people hate it. So they just get the easy way out by telling you and me that we did something wrong or not good enough.

People are angry because of all those empty statements that they will "Support" the public without being anywhere near specific. Telling us to follow guidelines but not bother to mention how.

It's a dangerous game and they are gambling our lives and livelihoods like chips in a card game we're not even invited at.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

From the above article: ". . . three family members having no history of travel overseas being infected through unknown routes." Question: did any one these people eat outside the home? You don't have to travel abroad to get the disease.

My concern is that these mild symptoms could develop into something worse.

In the U.S. many municipalities are lining up and waiting hours for their jabs. New York City is offering its citizens $100 to get a jab.

Does the U.S. know something we don't over here.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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