Japan lowers COVID threat level to same as flu in major policy shift

21 comments

1. Congrats on being 3 years late

2. Still 90% of the folks are with masks. I guess they realize they always look pretty like that on Instagram…

3. I’m the only one in the workplace who took theirs off and my coworker is up my ass about it.

   You’ll catch coronavirus!! Blah blah blah.

4. Japan needs to stop pretending that america knows what its talking about

5. More downvotes than comments on this thread. I’ve never seen that before.

   I think people should wear a mask if they want to, it’s their choice and right to do so. I am just puzzled sometimes however when I see someone jogging out in the countryside or driving a car alone with a mask on. I just remind myself that they must have their reasons. I’m just happy that I can wear one when a want and not wear when when I want. That’s what matters.

6. Sensible policy shift. The main practical effect will be to expand the number of medical institutions that handle coronavirus cases. Some government subsidies for coronavirus treatment are staying for now but will gradually be phased out so it will be 70% or 90% covered by national insurance, the same as the flu.

   By itself this doesn’t directly affect the mask-wearing debate, although there has definitely been a steady if unspectacular rise in the number of people unmasking in public in the last month.

7. I still wear masks in crowded places and since I am doing so I got sick less. When I teach I take it off and when I am outside. I got corona 2 times but didnt have big symptoms thanks to the vaccine. Everyone should decide for themselve if they wear masks or not. But the dumbest thing you can do is to complain about other who choose differently then you.

8. Finally. A few years late though.

9. Masks should still be required for unattractive people.

10. Setting aside the idiocy of adults wearing a mask when it’s unnecessary, they really NEED to stop making kids wear them.

11. And people in Japan, when they have or are being careful about the flu, wear masks. And get the shot every year.

12. And as soon as they did two of my immediate family members contracted it. Too any tourists are not wearing them. Particularly American and Chinese tourists.

13. I’m sitting in on the Ginza line Tokyo. About 50% of people have a mask on atm. But it’s not like masks weren’t a normal thing pre covid either.

14. Now that my boss has declared it discretionary, I wear a mask NOWHERE. F*** a MASK.

15. It was all bogus from the first place. Medical scholars knew that the death rate is same as flu from the beginning.

16. Nothing has and nothing will change. Japanese people just love their masks

17. I’ve been wearing a mask whenever I leave the house for the past 3 years. It feels too weird to just, cold turkey not wear it.

18. inb4 a million comments from people who feel the need to announce they’ll still be masking, like anyone cares

19. Finally!

20. The threat of covid is exactly the same as it was last year but we’ve all just decided to collectively not worry about it anymore. We’re just going to pretend that it’s over. Down with the shields and off with the masks! Pay no attention to that covid behind the curtain!

21. I am Japanese. I have gotten used to wearing a mask. Sometimes I wear a mask at home. I feel uncomfortable without a mask.