Posted in: Takeda CEO urges transparency in virus vaccine rollout See in context
Thank you daito_hak
for providing links to articles debunking some of the ridiculous claims people make here with absolutely no links to prove them - the 90% of those having contracted covid-19 suffering some form of lung damage.
-1 ( +1 / -2 )
Posted in: Takeda CEO urges transparency in virus vaccine rollout See in context
There are numerous reports that the vaccines only prevent the development of the virus to a serious disease in people who have taken it. Whilst this is a very good thing and the vulnerable need to be vaccinated, it does not stop people getting the disease asymptomatically or still spreading it to others. Vaccinating the healthy will do nothing towards protecting the vulnerable. It is a waste of vaccine and in the case of children or younger healthy people they already have far more than 95% chance of not getting seriously ill. Why do they need a vaccine that gives them less protection than they already have and doest change their ability to spread the virus . Better give it to the vulnerable who do need it
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/vaccine-unlikely-to-return-us-to-the-old-normal-20201218-p56onf.html#comments
1 ( +5 / -4 )
Posted in: Dancing, singing banned in Sydney as virus cluster grows to 68 See in context
Lockdown for some areas already and possible for all Sydney, Sydney and NSW residents now locked out of visiting other states or need 14 day quarantine in hotel ( at their cost) to visit. All this from 1 escaped overseas arrival.
6 ( +6 / -0 )
Posted in: Pfizer files request for COVID-19 vaccine approval in Japan See in context
Clearly powers to be would prefer a Japanese vaccine. Less money to be made, favours gained etc, etc with a foreign vaccine and I am sure it hurts to have to pay and rely on foreigners. Maybe hold out longer for the Japanese vaccine in hope.
BTW this vaccine apparently only stops serious development of the virus in those vaccinated. Likely they still can get the virus asymptomatically and pointedly still transmit the virus to t others. Begs the question of do people under 30, or whatever, even need to be vaccinated with this vaccine, since they already have a rather minute chance of getting the virus seriously anyhow, already far less than the vaccine's 90% protection.
-2 ( +7 / -9 )
Posted in: Japan to reopen borders for all foreign visitors with permits to stay in country See in context
in Sydney we have hardly an infections now and should be able to travel to Japan without a 14 day quarantine period.
You live in Sydney but you are not aware that you need special permission from the Australian government to leave Australia, which is simply not granted for many reasons especially not tourism. Furthermore there are no flights from Australia to Japan so you will have to take some expensive convoluted route to get to Japan . And then to get back to Australia, besides the mandatory 14 day hotel quarantine you must do and pay for on return, there is a big difficulty in getting flights because of the government cap in the number of Australians who can return.
The 14 day self quarantine in Japan is the least of your problems.
9 ( +9 / -0 )
Posted in: Scientists report that airborne coronavirus is probably infectious See in context
Still only probably infectious by breathing it! With its continued unstoppable spread despite lockdowns and social distancing and hygiene and whatever is thrown at it, it seems to me a non scientist. it is more than "probably" infectious that way
But what do I know! We could trust the experts at WHO ( last to acknowledge it might be a possibility on July 7 according to the article) . Watch this to see how their expertise with the virus helped the world earlier in the pandemic as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxhZ2Z-Y4ls
2 ( +5 / -3 )
Posted in: Virus surges worldwide as public loses faith in authorities See in context
The WHO is supposedly the the ultimate world authority about the virus. Watch this and one can see they are the ultimate authority for its spread world wide.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxhZ2Z-Y4ls
This is not from a Trump supporter and just deals with the documented facts from WHO themselves.
Anyhow wanting to still listen to their authority should hang their head in shame.
0 ( +2 / -2 )
Posted in: Tokyo governor urges residents to stay home over 4-day weekend as virus surges See in context
There is only one logical reason for the go to travel campaign at this time
The government is going for herd immunity but they don't want to make it too public ( as it has a cost of lives) so they had to exclude Tokyo.
-1 ( +4 / -5 )
Posted in: Japan to grant re-entry 'gradually' to foreign residents stuck abroad See in context
sorry no link but someone told me Germany is not allowing entry to Japanese until German citizens are allowed back into Japan. If other countries followed this kind of "Reciprocity" things might change somewhat sooner than a meaningless - "gradually" How long is "gradually". Who gets to be the first of the "gradually" allowed in.
oh and special entry for athletes. Foreign athletes will surely be lining up for that. I can see the queues at the airport. Will they be exempted from 14 day quarantine as well? Can they take public transport or must taxi to their sports place and never leave there as they are confined to a bubble?
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Posted in: Australia warns coronavirus outbreak will take weeks to tame See in context
They could always solve it quicker just follow the Japanese example. Do next to no. testing so that fewer cases are found and then do absolutely nothing except open up more. They could even open all the borders between the states and have a Go to travel campaign .
Interestingly though even with the minimal testing in Japan compared to Australia's ( around 10 times more per day than Japan, 70,000 compared to 7,000) Japan is still finding MORE cases daily than Australia. And yet Australia had the problem!
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Posted in: Australia's second-biggest city to make mask-wearing compulsory See in context
Perhaps the chief medical officers and experts there should have checked the latest research about wearing masks earlier and they would not be in the situation they are in now. It has been obvious since around March they were of some use and even the WHO who also denied their usefulness changed their tune a month or two ago, along with many countries adopting their use for some months now. Instead they have been stead fast in denying they were of any use and not necessary for months. Now suddenly a $200 fine for not wearing one!
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Posted in: Gov't rethinks easing crowd limits at events as infections rise See in context
This story highlights the need for track and trace apps.
track and trace apps can only work where there is a lot of TESTING. With Tokyo's 2000 a day now increased to 4000 a day tests, they are not going to be able to do anything. That is 4000 in a city over 20,000,000. The app is no panacea and n fact particularly in Japan with next to ne testing is useless.
In act the record world wide of the success of these apps is not looking very useful anywhere. The Australian app is proving a big flop in Melbourne and that is in a city with around 30,000 tests a day and a population of 5,000,000 or so. How could the Japanese app with the low number of testing here be of any use. The app was devised for two reasons. Firstly Japan can say they have one so are doing a good job ( to help cover up their very low testing) and two whoever made the app got wonderful payoffs for making it and I imagine there would be some links to the government in that. No I don't have proof but you can sure that app cost a lot of money which might have been better spent on the health system that may need it soon, rather than a totally useless app.
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo reports record 293 new COVID-19 cases See in context
More cases because of more testing! That is a joke right. How can Kioke say that with a straight face!
All Australia does around 60,000 tests a day. That is for a population around the size of Tokyo and they are finding a similar number of cases as Japan..
You do not need tp be much of a genius or a mathematician to work out the hit rate in Japan or guess what might be the number of cases if Tokyo did 60,000 tests in one day. The 1000s of cases they would find then that could be called finding more cases from more testing. Not the finely capped 4000 test they do in Tokyo in fear they might even find over 300 cases in one day which would look bad and spoil the narrative that Japan has beat the virus and lets have an Olympics.
And as for Japan's miracle contact tracing. Australia also does extensive genome testing of the virus to assist in their contact tracing of the spread of the virus to map its spread ( and found the recent outbreaks in Sydney come from Melbourne) backed up by their thousands of contact tracing tests. Is any of this going on in Japan? Do they even do any contact tracing of all the cases they have found in Shinjuku night life ? Do they test cases found in different parts of Japan to do they genome testing to match what other part of Japan it came from and check the spread? Perhaps they wouldn't want to do that as it might hinder the travel campaign.
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Posted in: Australian state posts record daily increase in new COVID-19 cases See in context
Melbourne does around 30,000 tests every day. Sydney does a similar number.
Yesterday was a big test day for Tokyo, a city with a larger population than both the Australian cities combined, a whopping 4000! Tokyo found a number of cases a bit less than Melbourne and a way lot more than Sydney.
You do not need tp be much of a genius or a mathematician to work out the hit rate in Japan or guess what might be the number of cases if Tokyo did 60,000 tests in one day.
Meanwhile Melbourne is in a heavy lockdown with heavy fines for breaching them and even Sydney is under tighter restrictions than Tokyo, no restrictions at all, is.
Australia also does extensive genome testing of the virus to assist in their contact tracing of the spread of the virus to map its spread ( and found the recent outbreaks in Sydney come from Melbourne). Is any of this going on in Japan. Do they even do any contact tracing of all the cases they have found in Shinjuku ? The a case is found somewhere in Japan do they do genome testing to match what other part of Japan it came from?
And Japan is a success story and Australia is a failure?
10 ( +10 / -0 )
Posted in: Go To travel campaign comes under fire See in context
Australia and Japan similar situation with number of cases and resurgence of the virus although Australia does 10-20 times or more daily testing per day than Japan. Australia lockdown of travel from Victoria where most of the new cases are. Border operation of police and army to stop Victorians entering NSW. In Japan the total opposite. Campaign for people to travel all over the country including those from the places with most of the cases. Actually encouraging the virus to be spread nationwide,
Which country policy is right, I honestly have no idea. Time will tell But clearly one of the two countries must be insane.
8 ( +8 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo lifts coronavirus alert to highest level; 165 new cases reported Wednesday See in context
Melbourne Australia has a similar amount of cases found daily as Tokyo but with over 10 times the amount of daily testing. They have gone in totally the opposite direction to Tokyo and and have a seriously enforced lockdown with police checkpoints, even supported by the army. And very heavy fines for those caught breaking the rules. The rest of the country has banned people form Melbourne to travel there. Anyhow people in Melbourne can barely leave their homes.
Meanwhile Tokyo is opening up even more and even encouraging people to travel all over the country. Which city is right? I do not know time will tell. I hope those saying Japan will be okay, no problem just open up, are right meaning that Australia is a pack of fools.
I did note that Okinawa had 3 cases of the virus found in visitors from Tokyo. Amazing how from a city of 20 million people with only 200 cases or so a day, three turned up in Okinawa, Amazing odds!
11 ( +14 / -3 )
Posted in: U.S. base in Okinawa confirms 32 more coronavirus cases; Iwakuni base reports several See in context
Deep in the stories from Okinawa there is news there was also 3 cases in Okinawa from visitors from Tokyo. Funny that how 3 visitors from 20000000 people in Tokyo, where only 200 people a day have the virus , 3 just happened to visit Okinawa. What are the odds of that! Meanwhile travel Japan program starts soon so who knows those rare odds might start coming up all over the country!
Furthermore how many tests are the US military doing in Okinawa and how many are the Japanese government doing on Okinawans. One can wonder what this result s would be if there were more tests on the Japanese side and also who gave the virus to who.
0 ( +1 / -1 )
Posted in: Tokyo's daily coronavirus infections hit new record of 243 See in context
Actually that may not be the case-
[ Dr Tom Jefferson, senior associate tutor at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine (CEBM), at Oxford and a visiting professor at Newcastle University, argues there is growing evidence that the virus was elsewhere before it emerged in Asia.
Last week, Spanish virologists announced that they had found traces of the disease in samples of waste water collected in March 2019, nine months before coronavirus was seen in China.
Italian scientists have also found evidence of coronavirus in sewage samples in Milan and Turin in mid-December, many weeks before the first case was detected, while experts have found evidence of traces in Brazil in November.
Dr Jefferson believes many viruses lie dormant throughout the globe and emerge when conditions are favourable, which also means they can vanish as quickly as they arrive.
"Where did Sars 1 go? It's just disappeared," he said. "So we have to think about these things. We need to start researching the ecology of the virus, understanding how it originates and mutates. ]
https://news.yahoo.com/covid-19-may-not-originated-143843728.html?soc_src=community&soc_trk=fb
Actually thanks China may very well be the case
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/6a56ef26-bdd4-11ea-a887-36f8a2091922?shareToken=92cbcdc40bcd38384eaaea9ac3b08415
0 ( +0 / -0 )
Posted in: Tokyo's daily coronavirus infections hit new record of 243 See in context
Did anyone see the NHK news reporting of this tonight? Largest daily increase.They interviewed two Japanese epidemiologists experts. The first thing one said was that if Japan does not do something there will be tens of thousands of deaths. They quickly moved to the other guy ( in a different location they are not together). He said they need to consider different strategies for different areas of Japan but then something similar to the other guy about the potential for the hospitals to get overrun whatever. They then terminated the interview ( it was really short and felt like it was cut short abruptly) and moved to another story which was Koike meeting with someone to discuss what to do about the nightime ( scapegoat) areas and then the government Minister saying it is all good Japan does not have to do anything and going ahead with the opening up and the August campaigns for travelling and eating out! Pictures of queues to get into the baseball stadium had been broadcast as well. You could not make this stuff up.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Southwestern Japan hit by more heavy rain as death toll rises to 49 See in context
I am getting alerts on my phone and am hoping our area is spared too much damage or worse, It has been rain for over 30 hours now non stop, sometimes really heavy and another 24 or so predicted, Meanwhile doesn't anyone see any incongruity in these stories that keep mentioning the government concerned about the spread of Covid in evacuation centers. These prefectures have had no cases for some time and are opening up to big public events now because clearly the spread of the virus is not a problem ( or why would it be okay to have such events that are sure to spread the virus) . Maybe these same prefectures will have exactly some such events soon. Yet now they admit they are worried about the virus so does that mean they don't believe the same numbers that justify opening to big events? I am confused!
2 ( +2 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan adds Algeria, 17 other nations to entry ban list over virus See in context
What happens to the Algerian permanent residents of Japan ( and those other countries) who happen to be outside of Japan? Can they still return? Their countries were not on the no return list when they left
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Posted in: 39 prefectures offer hotel discounts to revive virus-hit tourism See in context
https://travelersnavi.com/coupon/area
use google chrome with its translation feature
1 ( +1 / -0 )
Posted in: Arrest of ex-justice minister could hasten Abe's departure See in context
My Abe masks arrived last week. To add insult to injury for the extreme late arrival the masks are so small they are totally useless! How can he continue in the face of this rort to the taxpayer. Not enough to siphon the money for them and to arrive well after the emergency BUT to make them useless as well. Even the most apolitical of Japanese I kew can see through this scam and they don't like i
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Posted in: Abe says Japan to ease travel curbs on Australia, NZ, Thailand, Vietnam See in context
How about letting Japanese permanent residents back in first? They will be intending to stay long term. Why can't they have the 14 day quarantine like returning Japanese?
Meanwhile Australians cannot even leave Australia and in the few cases when they do, they have to do compulsory 14day strict quarantine at hotel ( not home). Sure business people are going to rush to Japan for a meeting with all the strict conditions whilst in Japan and the quarantine on return. Anyhow heard of zoom or Skype?
3 ( +3 / -0 )
Posted in: Call to cancel Tokyo Olympics becomes issue in race for Tokyo governor See in context
Koike will probably still win but what will she say when she has to cancel the Olympics because they will not be able to happen then, even Blind Freddy can see that. As if the world will be back to pre covid by then so it could happen. (Faint possibility an olympics with no spectators but what good is that to Japan financially, the IOC would got all the TV rights.)
And then when it is inevitably cancelled because the covid risk is too high or no countries want or are able or can afford to participate what t will she say about the billions that will be wasted on this impossible dream. Just the usual Japanese apologies I guess.
5 ( +5 / -0 )
Posted in: Japan to launch coronavirus contact tracking app next week See in context
This is a joke. Without lots of testing the app is totally useless. Almost no cases are ever found because there is next to no testing in Japan so how is the app going to help!. Maybe it can magically sense the virus cases to replace testing!
It is just Japan trying to look good pretending to be doing something about the virus so they can say to it people and the world " see we have an app too" . No matter there testing lowest in the world so there is negligible data for the app to have any purpose. Of course in Japan it is "face" that matters.
5 ( +6 / -1 )
Posted in: Japan to let in 250 foreigners per day from Australia, NZ, Thailand, Vietnam under eased travel curbs See in context
Australians are currently not allowed to leave Australia without special permission. (Not sure about New Zealanders). Compulsory strict quarantine in a hotel ( not at home) for 14 days on return to Australia.
Sure people will want to come to Japan where they can't even use public transport!
Anyhow why would those countries allow people to visit Japan where there is more chance of catching the virus as it i is circulating (to what extent is unknown due to lowest testing in the developed world,)
At least Australia will allow permanent residents to return unlike Japan where if you leave that is it goodbye!
If those countries are so safe why can't the permanent residents from those countries be allowed to return from there(just like the Japanese who visit there ( if they were allowed in)
3 ( +5 / -2 )
Posted in: Wuhan lab had three live bat coronaviruses: Chinese state media See in context
The virus did not originate in the market although the market was a spreading point. This is pretty much recognised now
And a search will find many more such confirmations of this,
From February https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3051981/coronavirus-did-not-originate-wuhan-seafood-market-chinese
https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1246207/coronavirus-uk-virus-origin-wuhan-china-seafood-market-covid-19-spread
So where did it come from? That it came from the lab can not be proven but well believe what you want about this part...... If it did come from the lab the Chinese will never admit it and they control all the proof so we will never know.
Still many people keep sprouting the nonsense that it originated in the market, that the Chinese created to cover up the story. There is absolutely no proof of this other than the Chinese said it did.
That it probably came from animals and, is not lab made , should not be confused. It is of course not proof it came from the market, nor is it proof it didn't come from the lab. This point does not indicate the point of origin at all yet it is sprouted as proof it came from the market. It is simply not.
9 ( +14 / -5 )
Posted in: Remdesivir may be approved in Japan on Thursday: health minister See in context
All these miracle medicines are all well and good. However they need to be used in the EARLY stages of catching the virus to have a chance of working. None are proving as magical panaceas for people in the advanced stages which show up in the unlucky % 2 or 3 weeks after getting the virus. So the issue in Japan since they do next to no testing is they barely catch anyone in the early stages to use the medicine with! They barely catch anyone in the advanced stage. For many it is only after they died, So it is another furphy just like the increase the testing capacity. They never test anywhere near the current capacity so what difference will it make if they increase the testing capacity if they don't change the testing policy!
2 ( +3 / -1 )
Posted in: Gov't eyes pushing businesses hoarding face masks to sell them See in context
Pot calling the kettle black considering the fortunes made to the producers of the Abe masks.
Did those companies who ordered them from China and they proved faulty give the government back the money for them or did the government ( taxpayer) take the hit?
BTW anyone actually received their Abe masks? I am still waiting and don't know anyone who has received them!
3 ( +3 / -0 )
No one said it wasn’t about strength, too. But that’s all. That's all you know
Posted in: Sumo returns to Paris and turns heads
Posted in: Gov't to expedite release of rice reserves amid surging prices
Posted in: Forced leaves start for thousands at USAID under Trump plan to gut foreign aid agency
Posted in: Forced leaves start for thousands at USAID under Trump plan to gut foreign aid agency