- 4 Sep 2015
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Fourth round ? I read Japan is coming out with their vaccines. Do you know anything about that?
Fourth round ? I read Japan is coming out with their vaccines. Do you know anything about that?I have just got my booster shot today. Meanwhile, the Japanese government is starting to prepare the fourth round of vaccination:
Health ministry panel agrees on preparing to administer fourth doses of COVID vaccines
The group also approved the administration of third shots of Pfizer's vaccine to children age 12 to 17.www.japantimes.co.jp
Japan to start preparations for administering 4th COVID vaccine shots - The Mainichi
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan will start preparations for the administration of fourth shots of coronavirus vaccines, a health ministry subcommittee agreed Tmainichi.jp
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41,038 (- 16,884) | 49,929 (- 3,658) | 47,470 (- 1,740) | 47,338 (+ 2,627) | 43,365 (+ 3,706) | 29,881 (+ 2,180) | 44,466 (+ 24,235) |
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
122 (- 41) | 109 (- 62) | 115 (- 41) | 101 (- 3) | 61 (- 5) | 65 (+ 7) | 81 (+ 10) |
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
916 (- 224) | 891 (- 199) | 733 (- 258) | 694 (- 289) | 691 (- 264) | 673 (- 278) | 655 (- 282) |
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6,430 (- 3,791) | 8,875 (+ 414) | 7,289 (- 536) | 7,440 (- 4) | 7,844 (+ 1,342) | 4,544 (+ 689) | 7,846 (+ 4,313) |
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,790 (- 949) | 4,490 (- 519) | 3,783 (- 82) | 3,645 (+ 6) | 3,493 (+ 585) | 1,140 (- 498) | 4,340 (+ 3,342) |
| 23/03 (Wed) | 24/03 (Thu) | 25/03 (Fri) | 26/03 (Sat) | 27/03 (Son) | 28/03 (Mon) | 29/03 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2,831 (- 1,679) | 3,742 (- 1,526) | 3,772 (- 1,316) | 4,848 (+ 577) | 3,553 (- 818) | 3,525 (- 331) | 3,300 (+ 949) |
No. Most people here are acting like the pandemic is a thing of the past. Even at indoor venues most don't bother.Those that are currently living in the States, my question. Do people wear mask at the baseball games these days?
The number of new cases seems to be on an upward trend again.
[...] after 37 prefectures reported week-on-week increases in new COVID-19 cases, including Japan's most populated areas. Overall, the number of new cases in Japan for the week through March 29 was 1.04 times that of the preceding week. It was the first nationwide rise in seven weeks. The increases were particularly sharp in Kagoshima Prefecture, which had 1.71 times more cases than in the previous week, Akita Prefecture, at 1.40 times, and Oita Prefecture, with 1.39 times. For the nation's three biggest metropolitan areas, Tokyo's number was 1.05 times the figure for the preceding week, Osaka Prefecture's was 1.08 times, and Aichi Prefecture's was 1.15 times.
At the March 30 session of the Lower House Committee on Health, Welfare and Labor, Omi warned that the more contagious BA.2 Omicron subvariant is rapidly replacing the original Omicron strain. "We should take time and address concerns that the cases might bounce back," Omi said in response to a question from Akira Nagatsuma, a lawmaker of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. One other expert suggested the upward trend in infections in Japan may have been amplified by the reduced number of reports made during the previous week, which included a holiday. "We should be alert for trends in the coming days," the expert said.
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
53,753 (+ 12,715) | 51,913 (+ 1,984) | 49,266 (+ 1,796) | 48,825 (+ 1,487) | 47,345 (+ 3,980) | 30,157 (+ 276) | 45,684 (+ 1,218) |
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
96 (- 22) | 101 (- 8) | 78 (- 37) | 55 (- 46) | 34 (- 27) | 45 (- 20) | 64 (- 17) |
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
655 (- 261) | 627 (- 264) | 533 (- 200) | 518 (- 176) | 510 (- 181) | 505 (- 168) | 508 (- 147) |
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
9,520 (+ 3,090) | 8,226 (- 649) | 7,982 (+ 693) | 7,395 (- 45) | 7,899 (+ 55) | 4,384 (- 160) | 6,968 (- 878) |
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,517 (- 273) | 3,734 (- 756) | 3,670 (- 113) | 3,666 (+ 21) | 3,760 (+ 267) | 1,241 (+ 101) | 4,347 (+ 7) |
| 30/03 (Wed) | 31/03 (Thu) | 01/04 (Fri) | 02/04 (Sat) | 03/04 (Son) | 04/04 (Mon) | 05/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3,794 (+ 963) | 3,888 (+ 146) | 3,653 (- 119) | 4,807 (- 41) | 4,244 (+ 691) | 3,055 (- 470) | 3,322 (+ 22) |
"It's annoying trying to get an appointment for a shot," he said. "There were people who went out for a drink even when pre-emergency measures were imposed. Even if I'm careful, it won't make a difference anyway." Local authorities are scrambling to get people in their 20s inoculated with booster shots as the number of COVID-19 cases in this age group is spiking again in many parts of the country. A 21-year-old college student near the Hachiko statue said he was on his way to drink with his three friends from high school. "I believe it's fine to go out for a drink as long as we take precautionary measures," he said. The rise comes at a time when many schools and companies are scheduling numerous events and ceremonies in April, the beginning of fiscal 2022. Like the capital, Osaka Prefecture is seeing an upward trend in cases among the younger generations.
According to the World Health Organization, early estimates based on limited preliminary data suggest that XE is about 1.1 times more transmissible than BA.2. However, the WHO has stressed that this finding requires further confirmation. Hiroshi Nishiura, a mathematical modeling expert at Kyoto University, has said Japan should also keep an eye on XE and other new variants. "XE's transmissibility is certainly higher than that for BA.1 or BA.2," Nishiura said last week. "If people's international mobility increases, XE has a high chance of replacing the current omicron variants. But we still don't know the severity of symptoms among the infected people, so we need to examine the epidemiological impact of the variant closely."
This is the first time I heard of this.Japan has the first case of the omicron XE variant, detected during a routine check at Narita Airport. The XE "recombinant variant" is a recombinant of the omicron variant's BA.1 and BA.2. subvariants. A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with two or more variants simultaneously, mixing their genetic material within the patient's body.
Japan detects first case of omicron XE variant
The XE variant was detected in an asymptomatic woman in her 30s who arrived at Narita Airport from the U.S. on March 26.www.japantimes.co.jp
XE is among a new set of highly transmissible variants known as "recombinant variants." A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with two or more variants at the same time, leading to a mixing of their genetic material within the patient's body. According to the World Health Organization, early estimates suggest that XE - a recombinant of BA.1 and BA.2 of the omicron variant - is about 1.1 times more transmissible than BA.2. Around 1,100 cases of the XE variant had been confirmed in Britain as of April 5, although they accounted for less than 1% of infections in the country. So far, little is known about the severity of XE. [...] Fear of side effects - temporary but common after vaccination - seems to be playing a role in young people's wariness to get vaccinated. The fact that many young people infected with COVID-19 experience few symptoms, if any, is also believed to be contributing to their hesitancy. Common side effects from COVID-19 vaccines include fever and fatigue. The government is reportedly considering subsidizing universities, junior colleges and vocational schools that decide to open mass vaccination centers. It is also considering offering discounts for sports and music events to people who have received their third jabs.
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
54,844 (+ 1,091) | 54,995 (+ 3,082) | 51,953 (+ 2,687) | 52,741 (+ 3,916) | 49,172 (+ 1,827) | 33,205 (+ 3,048) | 49,733 (+ 4,049) |
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
66 (- 30) | 69 (- 32) | 69 (- 9) | 49 (- 6) | 39 (+ 5) | 34 (- 22) | 47 (- 17) |
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
508 (- 147) | 494 (- 133) | 484 (- 49) | 489 (- 29) | 484 (- 26) | 465 (- 40) | 467 (- 41) |
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
8,652 (- 868) | 8,753 (+ 527) | 8,112 (+ 130) | 8,102 (+ 707) | 8,026 (+ 127) | 4,562 (+ 178) | 6,922 (- 46) |
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,896 (+ 379) | 4,673 (+ 939) | 3,908 (+ 238) | 4,000 (+ 334) | 3,652 (- 108) | 1,449 (+ 208) | 5,051 (+ 704) |
| 06/04 (Wed) | 07/04 (Thu) | 08/04 (Fri) | 09/04 (Sat) | 10/04 (Son) | 11/04 (Mon) | 12/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3,956 (+ 162) | 3,825 (- 63) | 3,717 (+ 64) | 3,792 (- 1,015) | 4,098 (- 146) | 3,781 (+ 726) | 4,117 (+ 795) |
The number of new infections hit a record high in the week through Tuesday in the prefectures of Iwate, Akita, Fukushima, Niigata, Nagano, Ehime, Oita, Miyazaki and Kagoshima, according to the health ministry. "We have to act on the assumption that we're already in the seventh wave," Shimane Gov. Tatsuya Maruyama said.
Omi said the infection count will likely increase further around the Golden Week holidays starting from late April, while the number of severe cases may rise around June when the efficacy of booster shots administered to older people is expected to begin waning. "The infected population is shifting from younger people to the elderly," Omi said.
Well that's a relief considering that social activities were never fully stopped in the first place were they?While prefectural experts warn of the seventh Coronavirus wave due to the surging numbers of cases in several regions, Japan's top virologist Omi Shigeru said that the country no longer needed to fully stop social activities as symptoms of the currently dominant omicron variant are less severe than those of previous strains, in a major shift from his previous stance focusing on strict controls to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
According to Takeda and the ministry, the vaccine has been confirmed to be about 90% effective in preventing infections and 100% effective in preventing infected people from developing moderate to severe symptoms in clinical trials launched overseas, including the United States, before the spread of delta and omicron coronavirus variants. Similar data has been gained from a domestic clinical trial with Japanese participants. For third shots, 0.5 milliliter of the Novavax vaccine will be given at least six months after second shots. In a clinical trial, the value of neutralizing antibodies rose from 69.4 to 3,687.7 after the vaccine was given to people who had received two shots of the vaccine. The Novavax vaccine is also expected to be used for booster shots for people who have received other COVID-19 vaccines.
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
47,899 (- 9,859) | 47,131 (-8,163) | 43,003 (- 6,758) | 43,967 (- 3,631) | 38,579 (- 712) | 24,839 (+ 581) | 40,500 (- 393) |
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
49 (- 18) | 51 (- 1) | 51 (- 11) | 34 (- 14) | 15 (- 11) | 39 (+ 12) | 64 (+ 12) |
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
214 (- 254) | 202 (- 265) | 207 (- 30) | 203 (- 19) | 195 (- 24) | 191 (- 31) | 200 (- 13) |
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
6,776 (- 1,477) | 6,713 (- 1,827) | 5,396 (- 1,372) | 5,387 (- 1,410) | 4,936 (- 284) | 3,141 (- 338) | 5,048 (- 535) |
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3,935 (- 1,186) | 3,565 (- 749) | 2,846 (- 846) | 3,113 (- 531) | 2,733 (+ 26) | 963 (+ 12) | 3,967 (+ 148) |
| 20/04 (Wed) | 21/04 (Thu) | 22/04 (Fri) | 23/04 (Sat) | 24/04 (Son) | 25/04 (Mon) | 26/04 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2,733 (- 1,784) | 2,783 (- 956) | 2,834 (- 1,098) | 3,360 (- 688) | 2,567 (- 667) | 2,807 (+ 198) | 2,450 (- 316) |
Experts warn, however, that basic prevention measures - such as the ventilation of indoor spaces - will remain crucial as infection levels remain high in most of the country. In the face of recent moves in other countries to withdraw mask mandates, top health experts serving on government committees have begun to suggest that Japan may loosen its guidance on the universal mask-wearing practice that was advocated when the pandemic began two years ago. Economic revitalization minister Daishiro Yamagiwa, who is concurrently leading the government's pandemic response, also hinted over the weekend that a gradual phasing out of mask-wearing could be in the cards as COVID-19 cases fall.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said the government will continue to review anti-virus measures while monitoring the country's coronavirus situation and consulting with medical experts. Mask requirements have been easing overseas in line with progress in vaccinations against COVID-19. The United States has lifted a federal mask mandate and the use of masks is no longer required in Britain and France. "We recommend that people take off their masks outside as long as sufficient distance is maintained, especially when temperatures and humidity are high," Matsuno told a press conference.