COVID-19 Coronavirus: situation in Japan

[musicisgood]

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 T

mainichi.jp

Fourth round ? I read Japan is coming out with their vaccines. Do you know anything about that?

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (23-29 Mar 2022). This time with more info on the boosters.

Nationwide infections:

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)​

Nationwide deaths:

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)​

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

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)​

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

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)​

Osaka:

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)​

Kanagawa:

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)​

Vaccinations as of 30 March 2022:

253,413,125 = 80.0% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 50,371,163 = 39.8% of population

 

[Lothor]

The number of new cases seems to be on an upward trend again.

 

[musicisgood]

Those that are currently living in the States, my question. Do people wear mask at the baseball games these days?

 

[mdchachi]

Those that are currently living in the States, my question. Do people wear mask at the baseball games these days?

No. Most people here are acting like the pandemic is a thing of the past. Even at indoor venues most don't bother.
There was some compliance when there were official recommendations or mandates but now that they are gone almost nobody wears masks.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Maine has slowly getting rid of the mask mandates. Now if I see a mask , the person usually has grey hair. This week they started pushing the 4th shot here and just starting to have places that give it. I always get a flu shot around September and will probably get the 4th covid shot in November.

 

[thomas]

The number of new cases seems to be on an upward trend again.

I will have to include more prefectures in the weekly updates.

[...] 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.

BA.2 concerns rise as COVID-19 cases increase in 37 prefectures | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

www.asahi.com

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (30 Mar - 5 April 2022). It's a rollercoaster.

Nationwide infections:

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)​

Nationwide deaths:

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)​

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

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)​

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

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)​

Osaka:

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)​

Kanagawa:

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)​

Vaccinations as of 6 April 2022:

258,708,855 = 80.1% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 55,217,340 = 43.6% of population

 

[thomas]

While cities like Tokyo and Osaka see an upward trend in infections in young people, it's people in their 20s who refuse to get the booster shot. These days, it is pretty straightforward to get an appointment, even on Saturdays.

"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.

People in their 20s shun booster shots, worrying health officials | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

www.asahi.com

 

[thomas]

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.

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."

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

 

[musicisgood]

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

This is the first time I heard of this.

 

[thomas]

Over the past few days, this has been widely publicised in the news: the emergence of a new variant of the Coronavirus has raised concerns over the low vaccination rate among young Japanese.

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.

XE variant adds to concern over low vaccination rates among young people in Japan

Seemingly on the verge of a seventh wave of COVID-19, Japan is struggling to balance infection control and a resumption of normal life.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[salyavin]

As far as the US I still see some who are not grey. I went to the bike shop to get a tuneup just last week and high school got out. I saw kids walking across one street and maybe 5 or 6 I noticed with masks. At some stores sometimes I see one or two staff member wearing a mask. Certainly more than 90% are not wearing masks as there is no longer a recommendation here. I still tend to in crowded indoor places but then I have grey hair I too recieved notification I will be eligable for the 4th shot just recently (people 50 and over in the US). I have not been to a ball game yet but from what pictures I saw it was few who wore one. Our local Japanese market asks us to please wear a mask though they cannot force us and all the Japanese or nikkei staff ALL wear a mask. At the local Korean market which has good asian vegetables and meats and such (H-Mart a chain) I'd say 70-80percent of everyone wears masks and all staff do. No sign asking you to. A regular grocery store (not asian) I see maybe 1 in 20 customers wear a mask here and maybe 1 or 2 staff. Homedepot I saw 1 staff and he was young too. Sounds like we have more mask wearing that Michigan but this is all personal feelings as there is no recommendation.

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (6 - 12 April 2022):

Nationwide infections:

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)​

Nationwide deaths:

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)​

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

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)​

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

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)​

Osaka:

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)​

Kanagawa:

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)​

Vaccinations as of 12 April 2022:

262,639,273 = 80.2% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 58,809,528 = 46.4% of population

 

[thomas]

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.

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.

 

[mdchachi]

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.

Well that's a relief considering that social activities were never fully stopped in the first place were they?

 

[thomas]

Yesterday, Japan's health ministry approved a fourth coronavirus vaccine from the US biopharmaceutical company Novovax. Unlike the approved three vaccines, the Novavax vaccine is a recombinant protein vaccine. Novovax is effective against the highly infectious omicron variant of the coronavirus; however, less so compared with other variants. Takeda will be in charge of manufacturing and distributing the vaccine in Japan. The ministry said that the distribution of Novavax vaccines to local governments is expected to start in late May.

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.

Japan approves Novavax COVID-19 vaccine

Distribution of Novavax vaccines to local governments are expected to start in late May, the health ministry said.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (13-19 April 2022):

Nationwide infections:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

57,758 (+ 2,914)​

[/TD]

[TD]

55,294 (+ 299)​

[/TD]

[TD]

49,761 (- 2,192)​

[/TD]

[TD]

47,598 (- 5,143)​

[/TD]

[TD]

39,291 (- 9,881)​

[/TD]

[TD]

24,258 (- 8,947)​

[/TD]

[TD]

40,893 (- 8,840)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide deaths:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

67 (+ 1)​

[/TD]

[TD]

52 (- 17)​

[/TD]

[TD]

62 (- 7)​

[/TD]

[TD]

48 (- 1)​

[/TD]

[TD]

26 (- 13)​

[/TD]

[TD]

27 (- 7)​

[/TD]

[TD]

52 (+ 5)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

468 (- 40)​

[/TD]

[TD]

467 (- 27)​

[/TD]

[TD]

237 (- 247)​

[/TD]

[TD]

222 (- 267)​

[/TD]

[TD]

219 (- 265)​

[/TD]

[TD]

222 (- 243)​

[/TD]

[TD]

213 (- 254)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

8,253 (- 399)​

[/TD]

[TD]

8,540 (- 213)​

[/TD]

[TD]

6,768 (- 1,344)​

[/TD]

[TD]

6,797 (- 1,305)​

[/TD]

[TD]

5,220 (- 2,806)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,479 (- 1,083)​

[/TD]

[TD]

5,583 (- 1,339)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Osaka:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

5,121 (+ 225)​

[/TD]

[TD]

4,314 (- 359)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,692 (-2 16)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,644 (- 356)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,707 (- 945)​

[/TD]

[TD]

951 (- 498)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,819 (- 1,232)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Kanagawa:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]13/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]14/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]15/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]16/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]17/04 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]18/04 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]19/04 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

4,517 (+ 561)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,739 (- 86)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,932 (+ 215)​

[/TD]

[TD]

4,048 (+ 256)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,234 (- 864)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,609 (- 1,172)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,766 (- 1,351)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Vaccinations as of 19 April 2022:

265,502,328 = 80.4% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 59,699,124 = 48.7% of population

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (20-26 April 2022). Over 50% of residents have received their booster shots.

Nationwide infections:

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)​

Nationwide deaths:

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)​

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

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)​

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

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)​

Osaka:

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)​

Kanagawa:

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)​

Vaccinations as of 25 April 2022:

269,554,770 = 80.6% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 65,045,290 = 51.4% of population

 

[thomas]

A new subvariant of the Coronavirus, which has genetic information from the B.A.1 and B.A. 2 omicron sublineages, has been discovered in a patient in Sendai. In March, the XE subvariant was found in a Japanese returning from overseas.

New COVID-19 subvariant found in Japan patient

The subvariant, detected in a patient from Sendai, has genetic information from both the B.A.1 and B.A. 2 omicron sublineages.

www.japantimes.co.jp

With the number of infections dropping, health experts suggest that it's alright for people to remove masks in outdoor settings, especially when social distancing is maintained. The COVID-19 panel failed to reach a consensus ahead of the Golden Week holidays.

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.

Shigeru Omi, Japan's top coronavirus adviser, added that it would be hard to find scientific evidence on the risks of going without masks outdoors, noting that the risk of infection varies by individual.

Japan's mask debate grows as public urged to stay vigilant during Golden Week

Experts maintain that indoor ventilation and other basic prevention measures are still vital, as infection levels remain high in many places.

www.japantimes.co.jp

COVID-19 panel fails to reach consensus ahead of holidays | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Darn , if we don't need a mask anymore , it means I'll have to shave and put my teeth in again.

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (27 April - 3 May 2022):

Nationwide infections:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

46,267 (- 1,632)​

[/TD]

[TD]

41,756 (-5,375)​

[/TD]

[TD]

36,672 (- 6,331)​

[/TD]

[TD]

25,182 (- 18,785)​

[/TD]

[TD]

26,865 (- 11,714)​

[/TD]

[TD]

19,353 (- 5,486)​

[/TD]

[TD]

30,481 (- 10,019)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide deaths:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

60 (+ 11)​

[/TD]

[TD]

39 (- 12)​

[/TD]

[TD]

45 (- 6)​

[/TD]

[TD]

14 (- 20)​

[/TD]

[TD]

34 (+ 19)​

[/TD]

[TD]

30 (- 9)​

[/TD]

[TD]

55 (- 9)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

183 (- 31)​

[/TD]

[TD]

174 (- 28)​

[/TD]

[TD]

173 (- 34)​

[/TD]

[TD]

171 (- 32)​

[/TD]

[TD]

165 (- 30)​

[/TD]

[TD]

164 (- 27)​

[/TD]

[TD]

160 (- 40)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

6,052 (- 724)​

[/TD]

[TD]

5,394 (- 1,319)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,893 (- 1,503)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,979 (- 2,408)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,161 (- 1,775)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,403 (- 738)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,357 (- 1,691)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Osaka:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

3,696 (- 235)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,046 (- 519)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,619 (- 227)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,114 (- 1,999)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,253 (- 480)​

[/TD]

[TD]

926 (- 37)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,318 (- 649)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Kanagawa:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]27/04 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]28/04 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]29/04 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]30/04 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]01/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]02/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]03/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

2,850 (+ 117)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,213 (- 570)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,221 (- 613)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,575 (- 785)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,930 (- 637)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,590 (- 1,217)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,028 (- 1,422)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Vaccinations as of 4 May 2022:

272,000,746 = 80.7% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 67,264,156 = 53.1% of population

 

[thomas]

The weekly updates (4 - 10 May 2022). With the end of GW, we see more red.

Nationwide infections:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

26,469 (- 19,678)​

[/TD]

[TD]

20,779 (- 20,977)​

[/TD]

[TD]

21,628 (- 15,044)​

[/TD]

[TD]

39,327 (+ 14,145)​

[/TD]

[TD]

42,538 (+ 15,673)​

[/TD]

[TD]

28,510 (+ 9,157)​

[/TD]

[TD]

42,160 (+ 11,679)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide deaths:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

20 (- 40)​

[/TD]

[TD]

18 (- 21)​

[/TD]

[TD]

36 (- 9)​

[/TD]

[TD]

27 (+ 13)​

[/TD]

[TD]

26 (- 8)​

[/TD]

[TD]

33 (+ 3)​

[/TD]

[TD]

51 (- 4)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Nationwide Seriously Ill:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

174 (- 9)​

[/TD]

[TD]

166 (- 8)​

[/TD]

[TD]

170 (- 3)​

[/TD]

[TD]

165 (- 6)​

[/TD]

[TD]

159 (- 6)​

[/TD]

[TD]

163 (- 1)​

[/TD]

[TD]

158 (- 2)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

SELECTED PREFECTURES:

Tokyo:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

2,999 (- 3,053)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,320 (- 3,074)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,681 (- 1,212)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,809 (+ 830)​

[/TD]

[TD]

4,711 (+ 1,550)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,011 (+ 608)​

[/TD]

[TD]

4,451 (+ 1,094)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Osaka:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

1,545 (- 2,151)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,243 (- 1,803)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,465 (- 1,154)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,375 (+ 1,261)​

[/TD]

[TD]

3,324 (+ 1,071)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,487 (+ 561)​

[/TD]

[TD]

4,240 (+ 922)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Kanagawa:

[TABLE=full]
[TR]
[TH]04/05 (Wed)[/TH]
[TH]05/05 (Thu)[/TH]
[TH]06/05 (Fri)[/TH]
[TH]07/05 (Sat)[/TH]
[TH]08/05 (Son)[/TH]
[TH]09/05 (Mon)[/TH]
[TH]10/05 (Tue)[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]

1,780 (- 1,070)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,277 (- 936)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,183 (- 1,038)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,661 (- 914)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,987 (+ 57)​

[/TD]

[TD]

1,662 (+ 72)​

[/TD]

[TD]

2,203 (+ 1,175)​

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]


Vaccinations as of 9 May 2022:

274,249,764 = 80.8% of population
Third vaccination (booster): 69,282,720 = 54.7% of population

 

[thomas]

Wearing masks outdoors to protect against the coronavirus is not necessary. Providing social distancing is practised, Japan's top government spokesman said today, with summer increasing the risk of heatstroke.

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.

Thanks for the clarification. While masks certainly help in crowded spaces, I'm still surprised at people who wear masks outdoors even when no one else is around. By 'wearing,' I mean covering both mouse and nose. I always have my chin guard on and don it properly when speaking to someone or on the train.

Japan gov't says masks not needed outdoors if distancing maintained - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Wearing masks outdoors to protect against the coronavirus is not necessary providing social distancing is practiced, Japan's top gove

mainichi.jp

 

[mdchachi]