Japan pledges support to vaccinate Tokyo Olympic athletes

And who is paying for this largesse?

The Japanese tax payer, of course.

they would begin discussions about how to proceed "should vaccines become available

Should vaccines become available give it first to the population in Japan, to keep us safe here from all the imported Viruses during the Olympics.

I do not think COVID-19 will be wiped out by the time of Olympics.

The IOC should be shouldering the costs associated with coordinating and vaccinating any and all athletes or officials not just developing countries, but ALL countries that send anyone here for the Olympics!

Just because Japan is hosting these games, doesnt mean WE the taxpayer have to pay for THIS!

Vaccinate your citizens first.....

I'll say it again, I just don't care about the Olympics anymore.

Japan needs a national referendum on weather or not to hold the Olympics during the peak of the third wave next year, at a time most hospitals will be full with Annual heat attack patients.

"Japan is supporting the IOC desire to administer vaccines to athletes and officials from developing nations"

The athletes in the third world will be very lucky to be going to Tokyo next year. They will get the best vaccines money can buy. In the meantime, their countrymen won't get any vaccines at all or at worst a made in China one.

but nickel and dime your own citizens? huh? also they won't travel without a vaccine so why? Also you're going to prioritize them over your own citizens as well?

I think they realize the gig is up and they're just peddling rainbows

Vaccines globally should be given firstly to those most vulnerable to the virus.

How dare they spend our tax money!

Should vaccines become available give it first to the population in Japan, to keep us safe here from all the imported Viruses during the Olympics.

Island mentality, imported virus, as if the virusal isn't aleady here. The lack of measures to mitigate the spread and everything being done to increase the spread here with the GOTOs is the fault of gaikoku.

Should vaccines become available give it first to the population in Japan, to keep us safe here from all the imported Viruses during the Olympics.

Imported? Kind of ironic, given that so many foreign residents here can be seen walking about or on public transport without masks.

Are you saying that it didn't disappear like magic during the summer?

The athletes in the third world will be very lucky to be going to Tokyo next year. They will get the best vaccines money can buy. In the meantime, their countrymen won't get any vaccines at all or at worst a made in China one.

The virus is presently not wrecking havoc in the 3rd but in the so called 1st world. The sekf acclaimed first world needs the vaccine most.

"you're going to prioritize them over your own citizens as well?"I

LOL at the comments above and others like it. I could imagine the reaction of the foreign community if a Japanese politician had said something similar. The facts are these: First, Japan has already secure 140 million doses of the three leading vaccines. That is enough for the entire population of Japan. Second, Japan has already decided that the vaccines will be free of Charge for everyone in Japan. ( Japan residents to get free Covid-19 vaccine, https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20201202-japan-residents-to-get-free-covid-19-vaccine).

"How dare they spend our tax money!"

On Foreigners! Japan is supposed to a racist country, so don't pay for gaijins!

Oh, if you are really worried about Japan. Here is a story:

Japan, eyeing Olympics, lines up half-billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-japan/japan-eyeing-olympics-lines-up-half-billion-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-idUSKBN25O0EW

Japan is making an aggressive move to grab enough coronavirus vaccine to inoculate its population four times over, a push the government.

Don't worry about Japan. Be thankful that Japan is wise enough and rich to be able to provide a vaccine for everyone in Japan.

This is just PR fluff for the athletes to still join the olympics. Would they get persuaded, I don't know but I doubt they would comply anyway because of adverse effects that might affect their performance.

@Toasted Heretic

walking about or on public transport without masks.

Yep!

Just saw this morning a foreigner in Starbucks standing in the Line and doing a phone Call without mask!

MontyToday 10:19 am JST

@Toasted Heretic

walking about or on public transport without masks.

Yep!

Just saw this morning a foreigner in Starbucks standing in the Line and doing a phone Call without mask!

And I am one of them. No mask, but I do not talk with people and do not cough. Just alone and quiet.

The problem is when as you mentioned when people do start to talk without masks. but this is not only foreigners. I see everyday so many Japanese who do take off their masks when talking on the phone. And one guy in the train, just before coughing, is often extending by a few centimeters his mask so that it will not be wet, or whatever.

First, Japan has already secure 140 million doses of the three leading vaccines. That is enough for the entire population of Japan.

Did it occur to you that the vaccines need to be administered twice.

Didn't know Japans population had dropped to 70M

Why all the focus on the cost, that is a neglectable amount in the total schemes of vaccination or Olympic budget. And I am sure if some Dentsu guy would bother to ask, Pfizer would provide them free of charge but then again, no mark up for Dentsu.

what is the issue is the morality and ethical problem of prioritising young healthy people., otherwise in the back of the line, just for a 16 day sports event.

And I am one of them. No mask, but I do not talk with people and do not cough. Just alone and quiet.

Sadly, the virus doesn't care if you're on your own, being quiet etc. It's been shown that wearing masks slows down transmission. Unless people have a genuine medical reason not to wear them, I'd be happier if everyone observed the practice. Japanese, residents and visitors.

Anyway, as regards the vaccines - priority should be given to our elderly and our medical staff at the frontline.

yes, it must be mandatory also for the people from America to get vaccinated before entering Japan, their stubbornness in not wearing a mask will endanger all the Japan people

This is a non-story. We're talking about maybe 10-12,000 people, many of whom will be vaccinated in their home countries before July anyway. The cost will be a negligible part of the bloated Olympic budget.

@Toasted HereticToday 11:54 am JST

Sadly, the virus doesn't care if you're on your own, being quiet etc. It's been shown that wearing masks slows down transmission. Unless people have a genuine medical reason not to wear them, I'd be happier if everyone observed the practice. Japanese, residents and visitors.

Yes, you are right. Risks decrease by 80% for transmitting the virus and by 20% to get it when wearing a mask. So in my case, I have been playing with that 20% risks. Expect of a bad cold with a bit of fever in March (time I was wearing a mask because I was coughing), everything has been fine without mask when being on my own for the last 11 months, and nobody around me, family. coworkers have been sick. I also do not know anyone here in Japan that has had the covid.

A question, do you wear a mask to protect you from the flu ?

Because the flu does infect 3 to 6 million here in Japan every year, even with a vaccine being available . But people do not wear a mask for a transmission route than is nearly the same, whatever they get the flu shot or not.

But now, with the covid around, everyone gets parano and fear mongering is at his best.

That puzzles me to see so many people with a mask, taking it off at restaurants when screaming, laughing. etc.. I do not do that and do not take any risks at all, because I believe in personal behavior and responsibilities. I know it is impossible to achieve for a whole society, and that is why authorities are recommending wearing a mask.  

But now, people judge others just by the simple fact they wear a mask or not…

This pisses me off.

In Canada where I'm from, today the news is dominated by the fact that a vaccine has been approved and the government is rolling out a mass program to get it out to everyone in a coordinated way in the coming weeks and months. The elderly, the front line workers, those with pre-existing conditions - everyone is going to be protected. Canadian residents are about to get vaccinated.

In Japan on the exact same day the government is.....pledging to vaccinate a couple thousand athletes 8 months from now. You know, if they can find a vaccine by then.

In every other country in the world now governments are talking about rolling out their mass vaccine programs now that a vaccine is here. But I've been scouring the news for the past couple of weeks and haven't seen any government announcements about this. Instead, its BS like a vague promise to vaccinate Olympic athletes NEXT YEAR, or trying to defend this idiotic Go To Travel campaign.

Its infuriating.

Risks decrease by 80% for transmitting the virus and by 20% to get it when wearing a mask. So in my case, I have been playing with that 20% risks.

And with the 80% risk of giving the disease to someone else.

A question, do you wear a mask to protect you from the flu ?

No, people do not wear a mask to protect them from the flu.

There is a huge difference between the flu and covid.

If you have the flu and are infectious, you feel like hell and stay in bed or at least at home, so there is little chance of your infecting random strangers. But you can have the covid and be asymptomatic, still spreading the virus to anyone and everyone you meet. People get 'parano' because covid is invisible, it can creep up on you totally unawares, spread by people who look perfectly healthy. 'I don't know anyone with covid' doesn't mean there aren't people around you who have it. Without a test, you don't know if you have it.

people judge others just by the simple fact they wear a mask or not…

For a reason. Don't be a spreader.

Wear a mask.

Without a test, you don't know if you have it.people judge others just by the simple fact they wear a mask or not…

For a reason. Don't be a spreader.

Wear a mask

If I was a spreader, people close to me on a daily basis should have shown symptoms. Otherwise, it does mean they are not infected or remain asymptomatic. If everyone does remain asymptomatic, the covid is not an issue anymore.

Believing everyday I might have the virus and be a danger to others does make no sense to me. The story has been on for 11 months now and reasoning like that does just increase the sense of fear and paranoia.

I do not endanger others because I adopt a responsible behavior, and when I have to talk, I will take distance, and put a mask.

But no mask when alone and quiet. I do not have social pressure, do not mind about I will be seen by others.

But now, with the covid around, everyone gets parano and fear mongering is at his best.

USA, country where a lot of people are relaxed about COVID and don't wear masks: 292,850 dead

Japan, country where people aren't relaxed about it and wear masks: 2,420 deaths.

Deaths in the US in the past 24 hours alone are more than the total in Japan for the entirety of the pandemic.

I'm glad to be in a country where people have the good sense to be scared enough of a deadly virus to wear a mask (even if the government response here has otherwise been a disaster).

"Did it occur to you that the vaccines need to be administered twice.

Didn't know Japans population had dropped to 70M"

LOL read: Japan, eyeing Olympics, lines up half-billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-japan/japan-eyeing-olympics-lines-up-half-billion-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-idUSKBN25O0EW

A question, do you wear a mask to protect you from the flu ?

Yes. Each flu season. But covid is a different disease.

I also do not know anyone here in Japan that has had the covid.

I can assure you that the covid is well-established here, and being assisted by those who give it the opportunity to spread, by not wearing a mask.

"In Japan on the exact same day the government is.....pledging to vaccinate a couple thousand athletes 8 months from now. You know, if they can find a vaccine by then."

LOL, please read

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-japan/japan-eyeing-olympics-lines-up-half-billion-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-idUSKBN25O0EW

Its infuriating, when someone complains and they don't have the facts.

They need to keep the propaganda high and show the best of their fake tatemae to the developing nations.

Hypocrisy as it’s best and all this non sense Olympic payed with our money.

Amazing, their wild dreams. Nothing will be held in summer, because everything and everywhere will be hermetically closed. If not here then definitely in most other countries where all those ‘athletes‘ would have planned to come from.

LOL, please read

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-vaccine-japan/japan-eyeing-olympics-lines-up-half-billion-doses-of-covid-19-vaccine-idUSKBN25O0EW

Its infuriating, when someone complains and they don't have the facts.

Yes, please do read. Because its infuriating when someone posts a snide reply that misses the point entirely.

In particular please read the date - that article is from August, four months ago. In the meantime actual vaccines have been found to be effective and governments in other countries have already started approving them and rolling out plans to vaccinate their populations. Not Japan, where all we are seeing the government talk about is vaccinating Olympic athletes and trying to figure out what to do with their idiotic travel campaign. No word about when a vaccine will be approved here, or what the government's plan is for rolling out the vaccine.

There might be valid reasons for the government's slow response - maybe production of the vaccine will take longer here, maybe there are logistical issues, etc etc. Point is: if these exist the government should be explaining what it is going to do about them and thus far it has not.

Rainyday is correct about this,also to the fanboys I’m sorry to say this but the vaccine is developed mainly by west companies,US-German cooperation.

Though there are others that are still in development.

For sure it won’t be Japan to give the vaccine to these athletes.

But in the end the whole Olympics are not in the world agenda right now except for some cold blooded bureaucrats .

It sounds to me like that Japan is desperate to hold the game next year, at any cost. I can sympathise with Japan on trying to recoup all or some of the costs for the games, but paying to vaccinate athletes from other countries? no, sorry.

Why does JAPAN even assume that the Olympics are significant enough to spend billions to accommodate something that most Japanese people think less for, considering what is happening in the world? The money pledged and thrown around should be put here to be used to support its own people, couldn't it? I mean the Travel Grant was already shot right at their faces, didn't it? Is it not been shown that by enabling its citizens to travel, they have increased the spread of COVID?

So, not only do we have to pay billions in taxes to this boondoggle that is going to be a disaster if it is allowed to go on, we now have to pay taxes towards prioritising athletes over citizens of the nation?

If I was a spreader, people close to me on a daily basis should have shown symptoms.

So far. How do you know you won't pick it up tomorrow and pass it on to those close to you?

The story has been on for 11 months now and reasoning like that does just increase the sense of fear and paranoia.

Over 600 people tested positive in Tokyo today. They all got through the first 11 months unscathed, too.

But no mask when alone and quiet.

Who wears a mask when they're alone?

I hope the majority of the atheletes refuse to take the “experimental” inadequately tested vaccine

CleoToday  05:39 pm JST

So far. How do you know you won't pick it up tomorrow and pass it on to those close to you?

Yes, you are right,

i am just confident in my immune system.

Over 600 people tested positive in Tokyo today. They all got through the first 11 months unscathed, too.

Most of them were certainly wearing a mask.

But no mask when alone and quiet.

Who wears a mask when they're alone?

Some do.

I was actually meaning, when I am by myself.

Most of them were certainly wearing a mask.

How many times must it be said?

The point of wearing a mask is not to protect yourself, it's to protect others.

It's not 100% effective, but better than nothing.

Compare the infection rates in Japan, where most people wear masks, with the US where people don't.

I was actually meaning, when I am by myself.

In fact higher up the thread you describe yourself as one of them with reference to people standing in line in Starbucks. If you're in Starbucks, or any other public space where people gather, then you are not by yourself, no matter how quiet you may be being.