The strange case of Japan and Covid-19

One month after I started this thread, we got the answer: (Oh Japan, you thought you knew better)

Coronavirus: Japan’s medical system on verge of collapse, doctors say

"Hospitals in Japan are increasingly turning away sick people as the country struggles with surging coronavirus infections and its emergency medical system collapses.

In one recent case, an ambulance carrying a man with a fever and difficulty breathing was rejected by 80 hospitals and forced to search for hours for a hospital in downtown Tokyo that would treat him. Another feverish man finally reached a hospital after paramedics unsuccessfully contacted 40 clinics."

https://globalnews.ca/news/6836522/coronavirus-japan-medical-system/

 
The article from April is hilarious. The press have to make every headline bad about the virus. They shoot at every shadow they see, and in some cases they get it totally wrong. But that doesn't matter, they achieved their goal and move on.

The second article is more accurate: for what ever reason, Japan sailed through the crisis. 130 million people in crowded cities, had the virus for 4 months, and only 800 people died, of which only 10 (ten!!!) were younger than 50. There are currently only 147 people in hospital in a serious condition in Japan. It was a total non-event, and anyone watching the data could cautiously predict that from the early stages.

There will be some type of second wave (the press reminds us of that every day. Second Wave!!!11!1!! Reeee!!) And maybe more serious than the first. But right now, the world's third largest economy, a large developed nation, is in a much different situation to others.

Japanese people are amazed when they hear that in many countries, it is illegal to visit your friend's house. Or to sit close to another person on a park bench. It is surreal.
 
Pekelo said:
2 months after starting this thread, another news:

https://www.newsweek.com/japan-ends-coronavirus-emergency-850-deaths-no-lockdown-1506336

"Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced the end of his state of emergency declaration for the novel coronavirus pandemic, with just 851 deaths reported and without ever implementing a lockdown."

So just like Sweden, they avoided overflowing hospitals without lock down.
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One possible explanation for this low case number (and number of deaths) is in the amount of tests carried out per 1 M population. According to https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ is Japan on position #144 on the worldwide list, with only 2200 tests per 1 M population. A very low number compared to most developed nations. If you don't test, you won't find any patients. And that is something that Japan is good at: looking the other way when there is a problem, and hoping that this makes the problem goes away by itself.
 
Your last sentence is correct. Looking away.

But how does low test numbers reduce deaths? Test numbers are meaningless if people are not dying. And they are not dying. 800, in 4 months.

Did you know that every suspected Covid death in Japan gets a chest CAT scan, and if pneumonia is detected, they are tested for Covid. Death data is accurate.

Did you know that less people died in Japan Q1 2020 than Q1 2019.
 
2FT said:
Did you know that less people died in Japan Q1 2020 than Q1 2019.
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Is that true? Amazing.

Yeah you are right, there should be dead everywhere even if they don't test, yet there aren't. So maybe their diet is vit D rich and they had BCG shots, etc.
 
Only 0.4% less, but that's still in-the-money.

BCG: early strain - the more powerful one. Not seen much science on that yet though.

And no doubt eating very well virtually every single meal for 40 years of your life makes you more resilient to illness.

Data across many Asian countries is actually pretty good. Not sure it is just a Japan thing.

Asia is in a strong position right now, they should build on it, big time.
 
Japan is testing very little though, so there is little information about the real infection rate there. That said, if their mortality is less than last year that's really great!
 
Japanese are the cleanest ones when it comes to personal and general hygiene. Germans are close and nearly as disciplined :)
 
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