I got an invite for my 4th vaccination the other day. As an aside, is anyone getting increasingly irritated with having to wear a mask? Japan was number 1 in the world for new infections for most of the summer despite the near-universal mask use, which suggests that they are not having a protective effect.The weekly updates (28 Sept - 04 Oct 2022):
Nationwide infections:
[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]28/09 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]29/09 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]30/09 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]01/10 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]02/10 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]03/10 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]04/10 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]49,979 (- 19,853)[/TD]
[TD]42,173 (- 35,210)[/TD]
[TD]36,646 (- 27,225)[/TD]
[TD]35,418 (- 3,800)[/TD]
[TD]29,492 (- 17,296)[/TD]
[TD]15,167 (- 28,420)[/TD]
[TD]39,723 (- 3,871)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Nationwide deaths:
[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]28/09 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]29/09 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]30/09 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]01/10 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]02/10 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]03/10 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]04/10 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]96 (- 31)[/TD]
[TD]127 (+ 25)[/TD]
[TD]111 (+ 24)[/TD]
[TD]105 (+ 37)[/TD]
[TD]71 (+ 22)[/TD]
[TD]53 (- 21)[/TD]
[TD]65 (- 40)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Nationwide Seriously Ill:
[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]28/09 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]29/09 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]30/09 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]01/10 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]02/10 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]03/10 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]04/10 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]204 (- 97)[/TD]
[TD]295 (+ 19)[/TD]
[TD]178 (- 84)[/TD]
[TD]165 (- 73)[/TD]
[TD]162 (- 77)[/TD]
[TD]162 (- 70)[/TD]
[TD]167 (- 58)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Tokyo:
[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]28/09 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]29/09 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]30/09 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]01/10 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]02/10 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]03/10 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]04/10 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]5,327 (- 1,732)[/TD]
[TD]5,327 (- 3,523)[/TD]
[TD]4,558 (- 3,001)[/TD]
[TD]3,834 (- 1,021)[/TD]
[TD]2,992 (- 2,629)[/TD]
[TD]1,673 (- 4,643)[/TD]
[TD]4,310 (- 937)[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]
Vaccinations as of 3 Oct 2022:
289,498,186 (+ 222,528) = 82.68% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 82,418,542 (+ 167,836) = 65.5% of population
I got an invite for my 4th vaccination the other day.
I think good hygiene practice as a general rule will stave off many illnesses, but when we're talking about a respiratory infection that's primarily spread through air droplets, I think the importance of (properly rated, properly worn) masks can't be overstated. We learned relatively early on that fomites were not a substantial cause for covid infections.Planning to get my booster next week if I can find a place giving them. Maine seems to be having a bit of a problem getting the latest vacine for some reason. Got my yearly flu shot last week. As for wearing a mask , I was taught as a nurse that a mask is only good for about 20% of prevention. Good hand washing technique and not touching your face(eyes,nose,mouth) were the real protection. Keeping up with the right shots also seems important for fighting off many types of diseases.
There's no point in wearing one while you're cycling. Are people actually wearing masks while cycling?Been cycling Japan and camping since April and finished in August. People I met at campgrounds were not at all concerned of the virus. Been to a few popular attractions though, everyone still wearing a mask. I'll wear a mask out of respect for store, train and indoor stuff, but I really don't want too anymore. It's hard to breath with one on and I really feel it effects my air intake these days cycling.
I live in a university town next to the university and the students are required to wear on and off campus. The teachers are required at all times no matter where they are.There's no point in wearing one while you're cycling. Are people actually wearing masks while cycling?
Although I was just touting the importance of masks in my last comment, there are limits to their utility and in some cases the benefits are hard to measure. Honestly if you're outside or in a well-ventilated space, and not staying super close to people for long stretches of time, the benefits of mask-wearing may be negligible as you are very unlikely to get much viral load in that setting, if any. Other variables may need to be taken into consideration, like the transmissibility/r0 of the virus going around. I wouldn't expect any added covid protection from a mask while cycling because the risk is already so low when I'm outside and moving quickly; if I were to wear a mask while cycling, it would be something to help me reduce the amount of car exhaust I'm sucking down.Been cycling Japan and camping since April and finished in August. People I met at campgrounds were not at all concerned of the virus. Been to a few popular attractions though, everyone still wearing a mask. I'll wear a mask out of respect for store, train and indoor stuff, but I really don't want too anymore. It's hard to breath with one on and I really feel it effects my air intake these days cycling.
Perhaps a truism, but "some cyclists move more quickly than others..."while cycling because the risk is already so low when I'm outside and moving quickly
The report compiled by experts pointed out that seasonal influenza, which has not spread in Japan since the coronavirus pandemic, is likely to become prevalent due to increased travelers to and from overseas and the surge of social activities within Japan. The report said it is reasonable to assume that the coronavirus will also spread during the winter season based on past outbreak patterns. On the other hand, the report explained it is "difficult to predict" the number of future COVID-19 and flu cases.
The Asahi Shimbun surveyed prefectural governments and cities with large populations and found that about 2.2 million doses of conventional vaccines were in stock as of late September. These vaccines are supposed to be administered to people who will be inoculated for the first or second time against COVID-19. But bookings for inoculations are dwindling as Japan runs out of people willing to get their first round of shots and expiration dates are approaching, so much of the stock is expected to go unused.
| 05/10 (Wed) | 06/10 (Thu) | 07/10 (Fri) | 08/10 (Sat) | 09/10 (Son) | 10/10 (Mon) | 11/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
41,193 (- 8,786) | 33,440 (- 8,733) | 29,443 (- 7,203) | 26,785 (- 8,663) | 22,796 (- 6,696) | 13,038 (- 2,129) | 13,123 (- 26,600) |
| 05/10 (Wed) | 06/10 (Thu) | 07/10 (Fri) | 08/10 (Sat) | 09/10 (Son) | 10/10 (Mon) | 11/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
74 (- 22) | 91 (- 36) | 73 (- 38) | 83 (- 22) | 57 (- 14) | 50 (- 3) | 27 (- 38) |
| 05/10 (Wed) | 06/10 (Thu) | 07/10 (Fri) | 08/10 (Sat) | 09/10 (Son) | 10/10 (Mon) | 11/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
160 (- 44) | 149 (- 146) | 150 (- 28) | 153 (- 12) | 137 (- 25) | 134 (- 28) | 138 (- 29) |
| 05/10 (Wed) | 06/10 (Thu) | 07/10 (Fri) | 08/10 (Sat) | 09/10 (Son) | 10/10 (Mon) | 11/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,310 (- 1,017) | 3,042 (- 2,285) | 3,016 (- 1,542) | 2,605 (- 1,229) | 2,242 (- 750) | 1,372 (- 301) | 1,504 (- 2,806) |
So are the numbers going down?
| 12/10 (Wed) | 13/10 (Thu) | 14/10 (Fri) | 15/10 (Sat) | 16/10 (Son) | 17/10 (Mon) | 18/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
45,505 (+ 4,312) | 45,690 (+ 12,250) | 36,605 (+ 7,162) | 35,138 (+ 8,353) | 29,662 (+ 6,866) | 15,372 (+ 2,334) | 42,294 (+ 29,171) |
| 12/10 (Wed) | 13/10 (Thu) | 14/10 (Fri) | 15/10 (Sat) | 16/10 (Son) | 17/10 (Mon) | 18/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
54 (- 20) | 78 (- 13) | 63 (- 10) | 67 (- 16) | 47 (- 10) | 20 (- 30) | 56 (+ 29) |
| 12/10 (Wed) | 13/10 (Thu) | 14/10 (Fri) | 15/10 (Sat) | 16/10 (Son) | 17/10 (Mon) | 18/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
135 (- 25) | 143 (- 6) | 131 (- 19) | 118 (- 35) | 121 (- 16) | 118 (- 16) | 116 (- 22) |
| 12/10 (Wed) | 13/10 (Thu) | 14/10 (Fri) | 15/10 (Sat) | 16/10 (Son) | 17/10 (Mon) | 18/10 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,790 (+ 480) | 4,338 (- 2,609) | 3,495 (+ 479) | 3,239 (+ 634) | 2,714 (+ 472) | 1,588 (+ 216) | 4,213 (+ 2,709) |
So are deaths coming down?
Moderna's updated vaccine, which works against the Omicron subvariants and earlier strains, is for people aged 18 and above and requires an inoculation interval of at least three months from the previous COVID-19 shot. The health ministry plans to deliver around 3 million doses to municipalities in the final week of November. In preparation for a projected eighth pandemic wave, the ministry plans to deliver 102 million Omicron-tailored doses by the end of the year. Around 100 million people are eligible to receive them.
| 26/10 (Wed) | 27/10 (Thu) | 28/10 (Fri) | 29/10 (Sat) | 30/10 (Son) | 31/10 (Mon) | 01/11 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
50,294 (+ 6,739) | 42,737 (+ 6,627) | 39,254 (+ 7,661) | 44,523 (+ 10,350) | 40,611 (+ 9,738) | 22,341 (+ 5,489) | 65,280 (+ 17,574) |
| 26/10 (Wed) | 27/10 (Thu) | 28/10 (Fri) | 29/10 (Sat) | 30/10 (Son) | 31/10 (Mon) | 01/11 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
67 (- 1) | 71 (± 0) | 51 (- 16) | 58 (- 20) | 42 (- 2) | 23 (- 12) | 52 (+ 14) |
| 26/10 (Wed) | 27/10 (Thu) | 28/10 (Fri) | 29/10 (Sat) | 30/10 (Son) | 31/10 (Mon) | 01/11 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
123 (- 2) | 120 (+ 7) | 121 (+ 15) | 129 (+ 22) | 128 (+ 13) | 129 (+ 14) | 136 (+ 18) |
| 26/10 (Wed) | 27/10 (Thu) | 28/10 (Fri) | 29/10 (Sat) | 30/10 (Son) | 31/10 (Mon) | 01/11 (Tue) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4,347 (+ 143) | 3,941 (+ 452) | 3,520 (+ 680) | 3,231 (- 8) | 3,687 (+ 882) | 2,019 (+ 284) | 6,520 (+ 1,818) |
I just got my bivalent shot last weekend. The Pfizer one. Didn't have any side effects. My first three shots were Moderna, Fourth was Pfizer and now this fifth one.I just got a new voucher for the 5th shot. I thought it had come early (my 4th shot was in July), but as in the above post my wife said she heard that the interval was three months for this next one.
Not sure--it doesn't specify on the form--I'd guess if I get it soon it'll be pfizer (like all my previous shots). Perhaps that's good, since in terms of side effects I've never had more than a sore arm, and barely that. On the other hand, I've read in the past that mixing vaccines from different makers may have a slight immunity benefit.