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Japan may let elderly off quarantined cruise ship soon

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The elderly will be released to go freely into the general public later today even without been tested! This is clearly stated in the article. 

Has the article been changed? It says the elderly may leave the cruise ship, but I don't see where it says they will be allowed to go freely into the general public.

The very elderly with chronic illnesses will probably be in need of a bit of medical care anyway.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

Why are they letting anyone off? They all need to be kept under confinement until it’s under control.

Keeping them under confinement is likely increasing the spread of the virus. They need to be moved to a proper quarantine facility.

12 ( +14 / -2 )

If they are going to let anyone off they should’ve done it at the beginning.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Yeah, let them off so the infected can go around spreading the virus! Once again bone headed decision by the Japanese authorities! It would have been better to test the elderly and move them to an isolated quarantine facility on land. The situation will get out of hand very soon in Japan. As much as I sympathize with these people the bottom line is that took the cruise fully aware of the implications especially during this virus outbreak so they must be prepared to face the consequences. The lives of the other Japanese people on land outweigh the inconvenience that these people are facing!

8 ( +15 / -7 )

Just in the news now. Two more Japanese infected.

One of the 2 was on the second flight back from Wuhan, tested negative and was allowed to go home to spend time with his child.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Why are they letting anyone off? They all need to be kept under confinement until it’s under control.

6 ( +14 / -8 )

Everytime they detect a new case, the quarantine clock should be reset to the start again for another 2 weeks.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Where does it say in the article that they won’t be tested?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It’s no surprise there has been so many new cases on the ship. They strictly quarantined the ship, but not the passengers.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I think the last thing the Japanese government want is a passenger dies on the ship. It will be a big PR disaster. Therefore letting the elderly and sick off the ship may be a good move. However, proper quarantine measures should be followed to prevent any potential infection.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Kurisipisu...

They will not be taken to an isolated facility. The elderly will be released to go freely into the general public later today even without been tested! This is clearly stated in the article. Furthermore, the Government is still considering testing all the remaining onboard ( why hasn’t this test been done mandatorily until now )! They should have tested and separated the infected and non infected the moment this cruise ship docked! This whole situation is a farce and as this virus spreads to the people on land in Japan, the Japanese authorities will have only themselves to blame! Then these boneheaded officials will start to look for a scrape goat and pass the blame around!

2 ( +11 / -9 )

We are seeing step by step Japan dropping the ball from the first case of coronavirus in Japan, to flying citizens back from Wuhan, letting two walk free, to indecision about stopping flights from China, now taking people off the ship and probably letting them go without further quarantine because they are elderly. When the disease starts spreading like wildfire here, the Japanese government will stand around scratching their heads wondering how it all happened and bowing screaming “もしわけございません.”

2 ( +6 / -4 )

They probably realized the passengers ain't gonna disappear any time soon

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Let's see where these people are quarantined after leaving the ship.

Just because you are venerable doesn't prevent you from being a vector of disease.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Why? They have just the same chance of being infected as anyone else.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Whatever government decided about elderly/sick people, they still must be quarantined at hospitals or hotels,,,,somewhere for rest of quarantine days. The US wanted 428 Americans back home for quarantine in US, why not Japanese govt let them go home. They US Air Force can send them back home any time. 3,700 people seem too many for Japan to take care of them good. All countries get them back, quarantines seem much better for them.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

A serious concern as the Diamond Princess crew and passengers wait for appropriate attention. This should be top priority for government, professionals and institutions.

Numbers for information:An increase of 2,500 reported cases with an additional 100 plus deaths from Feb. 10 - 11 in China alone bringing the current total to 42,667 cases and 1,016 deaths in China.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I understand releasing elderly passengers with chronic disease but have to be isolated in an appropriate facility until quarantine period. Hope they don’t go around in City. Please avoid spending medical expenses more for future generation.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Why? They have just the same chance of being infected as anyone else.

As explained in the article, the condition of quarantine are not healthy (stress, confinement in small place, isolation, then lack of physical activities, potentially lack of natural light and fresh air, ... ) this can negatively impact their health making them weaker thus risk of aggravation of current health problem + less resilience to virus infection.

So I do not know if their chance of being infected are higher and lower than people on land but their chance if in contact with virus to develop the illness moreover in a strong form is higher. according to the article.

So I hope they will soon be able to transfer people to facilities on land more adapted for this kind of event.

Having closed military bases with housing is useful.

I guess so or at least having some emergency plan so that a military base can be transformed in quarantine zone quickly with people, material and so on moved to other base, bunker, ...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Elderly are high risk for contracting the virus, high mortality rate

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Flute, Tokyo is the main quarantine destination

0 ( +0 / -0 )

At this point, I'd assume everyone on the ship has the infection. Either they will get better in a week or they won't.

Small, confined spaces, with airflow between them is great for spreading viruses.

Back in the US when the first diplomats were quarantined on that AFB, they were placed into TLQs - duplex, furnished, houses, with little yards. If they stayed in the yard and inside the house, then that family would not be re-infected/infected by anyone else. Food dropped off every few days outside. 14 days and they can continue with their lives. A quick cleaning and bring in the next quarantine group. Having closed military bases with housing is useful. Normally, there might be 10 TLQ houses on a base, but there might be 20 other empty houses depending on the on-base housing situation. Tiny towns have more base housing than cities.

Apartment living isn't good for quarantines.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

And, once again, convenience and sentiment Trump intelligence and practicality. And this just on the heels of Japanese politicians and business worrying about how the economy will be impacted by the spread of the virus.

-2 ( +14 / -16 )

kurisupisu: "Having the elderly in a stressful situation suffering from debilitating conditions could lead to fatalities."

As opposed to the spread of the virus?

"Obviously, anyone not out of the quarantine period would be taken to an isolation ward."

That's not enough. The people who transport them, the doctors, nurses, and all other staff wherever they are put need to be kept in isolation as well. Lest we forget, half the infected in Japan have been people who transported or guided the infected. And now isn't one of the ship's officers infected?

But they won't do that. The isolation will be as effective as the first people who got off the flight of evacuees from Wuhan. Some staff will get it and take it home. I hope the government understands that tourism is severely down already, and the economy is being effected. There's an extremely good chance this will affect the Olympics, and any further spread will almost guarantee postponement, relocation, or complete cancellation. Remind them of that as they decide whether to let infected people off or not.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Translation: The presiding government, seeking a means to make political hay out of this public relations debacle (funded, of course! by taxpayer tithe), has decided to release the squeakiest (is that a word?) wheels (rich passengers = LDP voters) in an appeasing dribble...

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

I agree with the decision.

Having the elderly in a stressful situation suffering from debilitating conditions could lead to fatalities.

Obviously, anyone not out of the quarantine period would be taken to an isolation ward.

-7 ( +7 / -14 )

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