Mirko comments

I don't understand why some of you are not happy. I have been the biggest critic around here, of how Japan faked the pandemic handling by blocking the borders and having close to no real measures to downsize the waves inside the country... and many people were telling me how dare I... Now we get as closest as possible to a reopening.

As a person who has a house in Japan and can visit it only on a tourist visa... I would take even a 1-month quarantine, do 3-4 PCR on my own money, and even a 4th dose if necessary.

Yet for me to get in it would take probably another 6 months at best...

@virusrex If you(or whoever) are at risk and you did not get vaccinated, although you could have, then you are on a rode you have chosen for yourself.

Just by looking at your comments everywhere you just love to spread fear about how scary SARS-CoV2 is. Yes it is a dangerous virus, yes it is bad. However, people would still die of a cold or the flu depending on their immune system response to a virus. Indeed for flu, there were no measures taken, not that there were many in Japan, to begin with aside from baning visitors.

What? Banning alcohol? Advising to avoid non-essential travel outside the prefecture where you reside? Come one those were a joke. I live in Europe and Japan and I can tell you that you lack the grasp on reality my friend.

In Europe, we had strong lockdowns, the metric changed indeed but not by a lot.

Each year in Japan over 3500 people die of flu that is accounted for. Those who have cancer or other harsh or terminal sickness are not counted as Flu deaths although that is the trigger. Covid-19(SARS-CoV-2 sickness), aside from massive testing (compared to the flu viruses), you account for all deaths regardless of comorbidities.

The bottom line is I STRONGLY ADVICE ALL PEOPLE TO GET VACCINATED, protect yourself in a crowd, as the virus is trickier than the flu. And then go live your normal life without people scaring you into lockdowns.

What is a life lived in hiding and scared each day? I rather get infected and die than live such a life for the next 10 years. If I can't live a life where I can travel, enjoy meeting people, I rather not be a burden on this planet wasting space and resources.

I am so deeply sorry to see the result of the government making the pandemic very scary, then tone it down.

I understand you guys to a point. You were scared to believe that this virus is deadly and we have no chance against it than the government trows in the Olympics.

Here are the facts you need to bear in mind.

Although testing is VERY important RT-PCR testing should be limited to those traveling, and those who came in contact with a positive person. A higher number of RT-PCR done, would not necessarily identify other infected people but increase the workload for laboratories.

The metrics of the pandemic you should actually look at is how many people are in hospitals and dying and especially how many healthy people are severely affected or died due to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Yes, any pandemic is scary any virus widespread is scary, however for anyone with a specialty in infectious diseases would tell you that now, caution should be used especially for people at risk (*already having comorbidities).

It is grotesque to see the government play the pandemic card when it was convenient and necessary to apply restriction, then suddenly switch to organize the Olympics while having restrictions for residents. However, please don't get brainwashed by a tall number of infections.

Get vaccinated, stop worrying about the Olympics or a tall number of infections, just ask Japanese Government to do their best to protect people at risk, those sick or over 70. Ask all medical staff working closely with those people to get vaccinated, and wear masks at all times.

If you look at the UK who's actually doing around 1.2 million test/day (RT-PCR and Antigenic Test), all they do now is to quarantine 10% of their population, but the number of infections is not really going down. However, the number of deaths is 10 times lower and hospitalization is less a burden right now.

Delta variant is not deadly or deadlier, it's just more contagious aka. it spreads more

In other words it infects and can kill more people... Making it?

It makes it 2% deadly to people who have a weak immune system, pre-conditions, and CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT THEY NEED TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL!

You have cancer and wish to live more? PROTECT YOURSELF.

You have diabetes and wish to live a long life? PROTECT YOURSELF.

We can go on with the list, of people who have comorbidities and just go on with their life as normal, with a lot of interactions. How come this virus is only deadly in the comments, and not for those people we worry so much about in our comments?

If you know you're at risk, there is no question about it. Protect yourself and let the rest live a normal life as much as possible given the situation. Just wait until the vaccination campaigns hit the wall of "I don't want to get the scary vaccine". It's already happening in Eastern Europe, where they are THROWING VACCINES THAT EXPIRE, because even though all citizens and residents can choose any of the 4 major vaccines, not many want it(Romania - J&J, Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca).

And guess what, I also have a condition, so besides you confusing it with lack of empathy, is more that I understand the risks and protect myself.

Just learn to live by protecting yourself and less blaming the "scary gaijin" that are "bringing the virus" in our treasure land, unstained Japan.

@rainyday We actually hold a lot of sports events. Euro2020 football is now currently running all around the continent, with fans flying in all those host cities. Aside from the UK being the DERP, Mr. @garypen was referring to who has people wearing no masks, having no common sense, here in Europe situation si WELL WITH LARGE SCALE EVENTS TAKING PLACE.

Certainly events with a lot more than just "10.000 spectators"

So before you guys think you are smart because some scientist in need for attention would warn of a scary apocalipse, just know the virus will be around us for the next 100 years with many mutations and variants. That should not stop our lives, and we should take PERSONAL PRECAUTIONS, to limit ourselves from the infection/re-infections.

What you guys are suggesting and it saddens me is to close everything because people are too stupid to actually take precautions. Well if that is your view, not to believe in the freedom of choice, you should look at communist regimes. Trust me is not what you want. Most people get infected because out of their wagamama-ness are just trying to live their 100% normal lives. There are 2 extremes, close everything do nothing, and live as before with no restriction. I don't advocate for either, but for a middle solution, inform people and make rules for them to use precautionary measures(mask, avoiding crowded areas, etc.) while slowly relaxing bans on events, bars, restaurants. Use masks, testing as a measure of prevention, use vaccine once you have it, as a measure of prevention.

If I am derping my way through information, I'm sorry, as a medical staff who chose the R&D and business side.

Delta variant is not deadly or deadlier, it's just more contagious aka. it spreads more.

Now the virus is deadly or not based on the host it infects and on their immune system response.

Up until now most people here, who are either Japanese or expats living in Japan, have shown a lack of cultural understanding as well lack of information. That to avoid saying a person is dumb. Get real info from experts who don't have monetary gains from spreading fear.

Most athletes and visitors are vaccinated. Yes if they get infected, they can still spread the virus, however, Japan is only to blame for the slow rate of vaccination. Not the world. Japan wanted the Olympics, pandemic hit, now I believe every effort is being taken TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE.

If you want to be safe too, and you are unvaccinated yet, don't go on trips, limit your contact with people and you will be safe. Now you guys cry because you want your old life back. It's impossible. My business lost over $40.000.000 USD because of pandemic, and it won't ever be profitable again. I just need to live with that, as you do with the new life for now.

And remember the vaccine only protects you from a severe form of the virus! Not from the virus.

So when you take the vaccine mostly protect yourself, and a tiny bit others.

This virus will be with us for a while, and we have to live with it in peace and harmony as we live together on this planet, hopefully in peace and harmony. Let's not find another reason to discriminate against, please.

I can't wait for sweet justice when all of you will be amazed how NOTHING WILL HAPPEN after the Olymics.

I have been watching so many people fearing this pandemic in the past month without having real facts in their hands just "fears from doctors and scientists".

I'm looking at most countries in Europe that have less than 20% fully vaccinated with less than 3500 active cases and 50 new cases per day. You think is just the vaccine?

Also, why would you get infected at the Olympics and not at a MeetUP event or other events young people go to? How about Shibuya and Shinjuku Clubs? Not there either?

So once again, the isolationists are blaming gaijins for bringing and spreading corona.

Nothing bad will happen. Nothing at all. But time will tell, and prove me right.

Looks like the J&J vaccine is the best of all, being the newest also. It has a 99.5% efficiency and also requires just 1 shot.

Maybe Japan should approve that instead of those double shots crappy vaccines with a lot of side effects and low efficiency.

I am sorry to say that you did not actually check real data. J&J is only 66% efficient, although it has been checked in wave 2 in many countries. However, it uses the same technology(viral vector) using modified DNA, as the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine which has the most side effects. The mRNA so far has been the most successful and fewer side effects out of all that have been released in the world. Yes, there is a question of future/long-term side effects ... but only time could answer.

So for now vaccine is the only way we can fight this family of viruses.

PS: Tho' it was not breaking news, they just made a 99% efficient vaccine for animals. This is huge, as it could prevent future mutation of the virus. Sadly very little press coverage.