Japan eyes extending COVID-19 emergency in Tokyo, other areas

@Sheikh Yerboaby

I agree with most of your post but remember Covid is infectious so specialist ward or better hospitals must be set up or you're just put infected people next to not infected people. Plus my wife's a nurse and had a cluster on her floor last year, her hospital specializes in liver problems then suddenly she is expected to work on patients with this new "killer" virus. She and her workmates did a great job and watched many die from underline issues.

Its not so black and white what is black and white is that this government has dropped the ball BIG TIME.

"....Meanwhile, some hospitals keep refusing covid patients although receiving the subsidy for bed provision. That's free-riding and fraud...."

The medical system here dumbfounds me.....how can hospitals constantly turn patients away?? Not just for covid but it is common for other medical things too, especially it seems, giving birth.

This is why NO money should be involved with medical care........fully paid for via taxation and everyone is accepted when they rock up at the hospital.

Glad to hear that more and more bars and restaurants are thumbing their nose at this less than useless policy that our great leaders in the quasi-government keep coming up with.........

EU will remove Japan from "Safe Travel" list.

https://winnipegsun.com/travel/international/eu-set-to-knock-japan-off-its-safe-travel-list

EU set to knock Japan off its safe travel list

BRUSSELS — The European Union is likely to remove Japan and five other countries from its list of safe travel destinations, meaning visitors or people returning from those countries could face tighter controls such as COVID-19 tests or quarantine.

As to be expected. Suga has nothing to lose he is not running again so for him and his party it's the best option.

When a new party leader will be elected he will lift the SOE and be the hero of the people.

Meanwhile, the numbers are already in decline so at the end of the month it will be a showcase of great leadership- low corona rates and the reopening of Japan, and all thanks to the newly elected chief.

Rob......

Any word on when the 95% effective vaccines are going to start working?

Pop into your local Covid ICU and ask how many have been vaccinated.

Its actually less than your 5%.

Its not the vaccinated who are filling the hospitals. This is not a coincidence or witchcraft.

Just make it permanent until everyone is vaccinated already Not like it's going to change anything or stop trains from being packed to the brim everyday but at least we'll stop hearing about this utterly ridiculous concept that holds no weight.

If anything proves that the daily official COVID numbers are not to be trusted, it’s decisions like this.

The official numbers suggest cases are trending down - but then the SoE is set to be extended 3 weeks. Why?

When the numbers were doubling week to week, the SoE didn’t budge from 8pm shutdowns of alcohol serving establishments. That’s it. It took an age to expand the SoE to other prefectures. Why?

(Incompetence is one reason clearly)

In my prefecture, the system is at breaking point - but you wouldn’t know it as it never makes the news, and the numbers are nowhere near those of bigger cities like Tokyo. ICUs are all but full. Hotels for quarantining are maxed out. Testing has dropped through the floor. Why - because they can’t do anything with more positive cases. Don’t find the cases, no need to find solutions to treat them.

People aren’t dying on the streets that’s true, but this will never end if the virus is just allowed to be passed around and left to mutate. Eventually someone will get it whose immune system isn’t as strong and they will die. Unnecessarily. Hundreds if not thousands will have long term effects

The incompetence is staggering. The extent to which the local government has effed the local population off is abhorrent.

But hey, things are getting better - so the SoE is being extended by 2-3 weeks. They know what’s really going on. It stinks.

At this point, if the government doesn't put its tail between its legs and ask Russia for access to Sputnik V ASAP, this is going to go on for years.

These automatons in power really have no clue what they're doing...been so for the entire pandemic actually.

I really wish people would just completely ignore everything they do/say and just start getting back to normal. If I was a business owner I definitely would.

Covid is never going away so we need to start treating it like the flu. Deaths are in a decline I believe and if you do get it, chances are you'll be fine if you've been vaccinated.

@Jan 

To all Japanese voters, please chose a real leader who can make a change and not a new puppet / clown.

I upvoted you and agree but…. Who is a real leader who will make a change and not a puppet / clown.

Japan has no plan to deal with the pandemic at short, middle or long term, that's amazing to see the continual chaos with the political leaders.

Many western countries in the world have been hit severely by the 2 first waves but now, these countries have plans to deal with the recurring waves of the pandemic. They have learned from their mistakes and ignorance.

I figure the state of emergency will last forever

and people will just take it, some will even prefer it.

Any word on when the 95% effective vaccines are going to start working?

For the common good it is imperative that the COVID-19 state of emergency be extended. Vaccination should be done in haste but also with caution.

Recently a man died after being injected with Moderna. It is very likely that it was not the stainless steel particles in the hypodermic that killed him but his allergy to buckwheat (presumably analogous elements in the Moderna soup).

Thus, doctors need to be aware any life-threatening allergies people might have before jabbing them.

It is also important that inoculations be given in an orderly fashion.

I doubt its effectiveness of the SOE extension targeting solely contact businesses. More than half or 60 % of bars/restaurants in Tokyo are now not complying with the SOE measures.

飲食店6割 時短応じず 都内500店調査 要請長期化で離反

https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO75469720V00C21A9EA2000/

Meanwhile, some hospitals keep refusing covid patients although receiving the subsidy for bed provision. That's free-riding and fraud.

病床使用率リストを独自入手「幽霊病床」の実態が明らかに　補助金の受け取りも

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a47d377d974a1673d633a4fabd8f3f78c7619eb8

With the rollout and medication, covid can be handled as a local endemic disease. On the other hand, the pandemic has ruined public trust, morality as well as socioeconomic foundations. We will need to review and upgrade the grand strategy back to the normal life.

Japan is doing great.

The no alcohol situation thing is stupid.

If no alcohol, then no caffeine served either. Let’s even up the game.

Extend it forever. Silly

Ahh, after 'considering' comes 'eyeing'. We know it's happening, stop buttering us up like kids. Rolling attacks on People who enjoy a relaxing drink now for 2 years.

marcelitoToday  05:14 pm JST

Suga, who is stepping down as LDP leader after his term ends Sept 30 amid criticism over his handling of the pandemic, is set to consult with members of his cabinet

What is there to consult about ffs?

Apparently a group decision is needed on which flash ryotei to book for Suga's taxpayer-funded farewell dinner.

KniknaknokkaerToday  05:26 pm JST

For crying out loud, make more beds available for covid patients then and let us and businesses get on with it. This is beyond ridiculous.

More beds for a highly infectious disease, not that easy, you need human and material resources.

Making less people infected is also effective.

Cases are falling like a rock and the vulnerable have been vaccinated. There are effective therapeutics being used across the world to prevent hospitalization and deaths.

Science says lift the SOE, but politics says otherwise.

I stick by my predicted end date of the 10th October for the SOE in Tokyo. Probably Osaka too.

Looking forward to a cold one - IN the pub with doors wide open on the 11th.

No point in mentioning which prefectures are affected, I suppose, as none of us live in any of them.

Politics in Japan is truly unique. It can only work like that here and nowhere else.

it could be stretched by about one month to allow his successor as leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, to be chosen Sept 29, to decide when the measure ends.

how very convenient for them.... I can't decide if the S of E is a farce, or a quasi-farce...

So because there is a leadership change inside a political party, they will extend the state of emergency?! How can this be justified?

Suddenly the day after closing of all the (Para-) Olympic events, numbers in Tokyo are much lower and it is clear that rise of number has nothing to do with restaurants and bars not serving alcohol. Stop this nonsense please and move on with life. 

To all Japanese voters, please chose a real leader who can make a change and not a new puppet / clown.

Osaka Gov Hirofumi Yoshimura said Monday extending the state of emergency in his prefecture is "unavoidable."

If only it were "unavoidable" to freeze or cut his salary while this farce continues. Politicians suffer no penalties for making bad decisions.