As bored as we all are of the constant news of the global pandemic, it is (really-really) important not to let our figurative guards down now. There is a new mutated strain of the virus that is considerably more contagious.
Also, the holidays mean gatherings, that will likely cause another surge in cases.
Again, the night is the darkest before the dawn. It is not all negative. Medics have gotten used to dealing with the virus more than in the first half of the pandemic. There are also, various vaccines rolling out at the end of the first quarter of the year.
The state of COVID-19 in Japan is not much different than it has been through out the pandemic. The mortality rate is somewhere under 1%, and the ‘up’ curve in the positive cases runs as most Japanese health experts have predicted.
Still, Japan officially declared the state of emergency today and it will be in effect since tomorrow Jan 7th. Inbound flights for all types of visas (and even Japanese nationality) from any countries are canceled until Feb 7th approximately.
What can you do?
The best thing to do right now is to keep doing the things you have (hopefully) already been doing.
- Eat healthily
- Stop smoking
- Quit down on drinking
- Get enough rest
- Exercise
- Maintain proper hygiene
- Avoid crowded places
- Wear a mask
- Get a flu vaccination
Luckily because of the coronavirus prevention measures, the common flu spread is slowed down, but it is still vital to do your best to prevent getting sick. Since the symptoms are the same, and influenza weakens your immune system if ever possible, get a vaccination shot.
When should we expect things to get better in Japan?
Because there is no clear definition of better, we can’t tell for sure. Who knows, Olympics may be belated for 2022.
Meanwhile Japan closes their border again, keep yourself active with learning Japanese and enhancing your skills, make sure you make good use of the “isolated” COVID-19 time.
The Japanese markets are slowly recovering, and the unemployment rates are also declining. If you are a foreigner already living in Japan, you should not have too much trouble finding work.
If we all do our best to overcome this tricky time, we might even get to have summer festivals, with fireworks!
Stay safe!
