Community transmission of Omicron spreads in western Japan

The denial is stronger with this variant. Start boosters now.

Good time to close off the country. It's usually closed at the end of the year anyways

Most of the Omicron cases discovered in hospital in South Africa were incidental findings, meaning that the patient was visiting the hospital for non-COVID related reasons but were still tested as per hospital policy. So it's likely there are many asymptomatic or only mildly symptomatic people walking around with Omicron infections who would never even think to avail themselves of the free testing services mentioned in the article. Who wants to go out and queue up for testing every time one has the sniffles? A better plan would be to distribute rapid antigen detection tests that can be conveniently used at home, and only then, if the test is positive, go to hospital for confirmation with a PCR test.

Well said @Luddite. Denial is quickly becoming the bigger problem.

the govt's plan to force all patients and close contacts of people infected with omicron into hospitals for 2 weeks will surely make most people hesitant to get tested, especially if they only feel mildly sick. who in their right mind would get tested?

Watching CNN last night and one expert said we have to stop punishing people for getting tested and forcing them to stay at home or be hospitalized. It is the only way to incentivize people to get tested so they can know where and how the vaccine travels, but not inconvenience people who are not sick!

Also, read that three different reports have stated that Omicron is not as serious and doesn't lead to hospitalizations and pulmonary distress like Delta, but I feel we are still going to be warned that it is early and we don't know. I feel that is not doing anything to help people deal with the virus and just seeds doubt and mistrust!

MarkX

so they can know where and how the vaccine travels,

do you mean virus and not vaccine?

And there are something like 6, maybe more, cases down here in Okinawa among Japanese base workers.

The US military on two Marine bases, Camp Hansen and Camp Schwab has a couple of major clusters, something like 110 and 130 and have been having new infections daily, between 20 and 30 a day.

The "omicron" variant was brought here by these military folks. But no mention here of it!

I think now, amid several reports of milder infections of omicron, it is a time for cautious optimism. But people have to keep up with measures to try and prevent transmission. It’s not a time for complacency.

Oh this is good too! The US military did not do PCR tests for members prior to coming to Okinawa.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/12/23/national/us-military-covid-tests/?FB_PRIVATE_TRACKING=%7B%22loggedout_browser_id%22%3A%22f339cef4eea9a0ff233152cde156afb8df98c84e%22%7D&fbclid=IwAR3Oq-exFJJy9_QhJwD4DSm8QF1EIY-1dcaIqIqvI3h-E9kkQAvWxbXeHXE

A government source said Tokyo was "still checking" if COVID-19 testing was not conducted for military personnel stationed at all U.S. military bases in Japan before their arrival, adding that tests were not conducted for military personnel at U.S. Marine Corps' Camp Hansen in Okinawa Prefecture. A total of 227 people at the base had been infected as of Thursday morning.

We here in Okinawa are still a part of Japan!

Who cares anymore !

Can we pls see a massive increase in free testing this time round pls…. Yer I think not, let’s just cook the books again shall we?….

Fear mongering news. The virus would of had hit us all by now if it was that contagious. It’s probably just a cold?

Let her rip!

Omicron is here whether you like it or not

Really! So now they are going to start mass testing and start finding the must be huge number of mild and asymptomatic cases which will result in the Japanese COVID numbers jumping though the roof to new highs not seen before ( Will they be able to live with the shame and shattering of the Japanese COVOD miracle ? ) And then clog up the hospitals with people who don't need to be there as this variant is so mild similar to a common cold and close the economy due to people not allowed to work for 14 days,

I think like when Hiroshima had the big plan to test all its inhabitants for the virus , which they quietly dropped, this plan too will not see the light of day. Imagine the headlines if Japan has many tens of thousands of cases a day.

Can we please get a link to these 100 free testing sites in Osaka.

Or a map.

The denial is stronger with this variant. Start boosters now.

Frightening stuff. Even the most fanatical regimes of the vaccine cult freely admit the Big Pharma vaccines are "not very effective" against the Omicron variant, we still have entities begging for a third shot and counting of the experimental and dangerous concoctions.

How easy people are beaten down and dominated to such an extent, they willingly go along with such contradictory (at best) instructions.

Can we please get a link to these 100 free testing sites in Osaka.

So you can be forced into a 2 week quarantine while most likely asymptomatic? lol

For your own safety Fasten your seatbelt, and lets NOT ""GO TRAVEL"" yet, Onegaishimasuuuu

Another reason to keep the border shut?

This kind of comment shows a complete absence of reasoning and rational thought. It is already spreading throughout the community, so how would this be a reason to keep borders shut? Ridiculous

“As new cases of Omicron surface in the prefecture, the Osaka government said it will start providing free COVID-19 testing in more than 100 sites from Friday.”

That’s a good initiative, although we’ve had free testing from the day dot down here. Surprised at how much it cost to get tested in Japan.

Is Japan using QR check ins? Contact racing once cases identified?

Contact ‘tracing’ even…

Even the most fanatical regimes of the vaccine cult freely admit the Big Pharma vaccines are "not very effective" against the Omicron variant

No need of any cult to see scientists saying current vaccines are very effective at preventing problems and disease from the Omicron variant, and that people that have been recently vaccinated protected even against asymptomatic infection. Some of that still have to be confirmed but nowhere it is said the vaccies are "not very effective" except on antivaxxer propaganda (where all vaccines are categorazed as such anyway).

i cannot go home on new years day in this situation. same as last yeat.

It is asinine to test the asymptomatic. To promote such unnecessary testing only will cause an illogical frenzy and promote more fear which will lead to even more hardships in terms of mental health, business, and trust in government. Asymptomatic virus spread is extremely rare.

The experts have proved the opposite, so where is the data you use to say they are all wrong? obviously your personal authority is not exactly a good argument to prove anything.

Japan needs to move on.

Its time to stop worrying about the very few, vulnerable, unvaccinated people. They’ve made their choice, but they won’t fill up hospitals.

A third shot won’t save a life according to WHO (even though Israel is on #4). They recommend sending the vaxxes to poor countries.

Closed borders do nothing except prolong the pandemic.

If Omicron was a non-event in South Africa, it will be like seasonal allergies for Japan.

How about taking a couple of days off from worrying about tests & start enjoying the festive season !?

I’m sure there’ll be plenty for you to worry & complain about come Monday

Asymptomatic virus spread is extremely rare.

The experts have proved the opposite, so where is the data you use to say they are all wrong?

What do you mean by "the experts", as if they are one unified group? And if you are demanding proof, why don't you provide proof that jiffy is wrong, since as you brilliantly put it: "obviously your personal authority is not exactly a good argument to prove anything."

I think the evidence shows that jiffy is right, for previous variants.

Having said that, since omicron produces largely asymptomatic infections, that might no longer apply. Maybe it's transmitted by the few mildly symptomatic.

Omicron is here. It is going to spread and if mass inoculations do not begin now it is going to get worse.

Right now, as we debate this issue, the U.S. is conduction mass inoculations. We in Japan should do the same.

“They thought these silly rules they're implementing on the borders are going to stop the inevitable. How naïve.”

how naive. Nothing can stop it. But the restrictions are to limit the outbreak. It’s better to deal with a few than a few hundred of thousands.

“They thought these silly rules they're implementing on the borders are going to stop the inevitable. How naïve.”

how naive. Nothing can stop it. But the restrictions are to limit the outbreak. It’s better to deal with a few than a few hundred of thousands.

This is leads me to believe that severe border restrictions are going to remain in place for years.

I'd be surprised to see unrestricted tourist entries before 2024.

For a country that loves testing, there sure is a strong reluctance to simply do more testing.

At a separate gathering in the Japanese capital earlier in the day, Kishida said, "Using the time we bought through strengthened border controls (since late November), we have accelerated efforts to enhance the process of prevention, testing and early treatment."

Wow, self praising much? What time? Border controls started three weeks ago and we already have detected community transition.

@ joffy

Sorry, my device's autocorrect screwed up your name.

Omicron has proven to be much more contagious than the previous strains. It has also proven to be less severe with fewer people ending up in hospitals and the ICU. Stay vigilant and get vaccinated.

The virus is getting weaker. Its more contagious but weaker. The end is coming for Covid.

Total shut down, better be alive then capitalism.

Once again, seems a quite odd sentiment of ‘anti-capitalism’ coming from someone continuing to profit from international imports for your distributorship to commercial businesses in Japan ?

- @TARATANKITAOKA 1:29pm: “Total shut down, better be alive then capitalism.”

If you wanna get tested, go right ahead. Nobody is stopping you

As new cases of Omicron surface in the prefecture, the Osaka government said it will start providing free COVID-19 testing in more than 100 sites from Friday.

Japanese take their kids to the doctor for every little cold. So then natural thing would be for said doctors to test for covid under insurance. But no...

Shigeru Omi, the country's top COVID-19 adviser, said that while "it is unlikely the variant has become widespread in Japan," such infections have begun spreading "at various locations."

Shigeru Omi doesn't seem to realise how infectious this variant is.

First local transmission in Tokyo confirmed today

So then natural thing would be for said doctors to test for covid under insurance

I really do not get this obsession with testing that some people have. What would that accomplish, outside of fueling the headlines with more number of cases?

Does it help that person to get better? No

Does it help people not getting infected? No

The whole point of testing, originally back in February or March of 2020 was to contact trace and try to stop the spread like they did with the Original SARS before it became widespread.

Once it becomes widespread, testing and contact tracing are no longer meaningful, but like many things in this pandemic, these kind of actions are not there to be meaningful or do anything else than to show "you care" and make people "feel safer".

If it’s not severe why tests?

the Japanese Go t has got it right 100%!

Let the virus do it’s thing and try to help those who need it when they need it! The reason Japan’s case loads have been so low is not Vaccination it is natural Immunity because most people have most likely already had COVID and did even realise or thought it was a cold! Omicron looks even less severe than delta so it will only get better not worse?

merry Christmas!

If you don't feel sick, why would you want someone to put a stick up your nose? I don't care nor I want to know if I'm infected especially here where you might get ostracized for it.

Be careful, Japan!

The omicron infections and moderate hospitalizations are down in South Africa, with apparently no mortality. First data from UK also suggests very little hospital needs.

And even the worst strain delta performed really weakly in Japan, I think it would've failed to spread without the Olympics.

Something in Japan is making coronavirus a poor performer, likely a lot of factors working together

Good thing it's averse to train rides and doesn't get on the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo on the way to an izakaya (Japanese style pub).

What is the air exchange rate on a Shinkansen? It's an airborne virus, easy to remove from the air.

The pub will likely have low air exchange, no HEPA air purifiers, and drunk people producing aerosol though. (But drunk Japanese produce way less aerosol than sober Italians:)