LogFAQs > #946379298

Yesmar_ posted...

I'm kind of curious as to how Japan is doing so (relatively) well. They had a lockdown in the spring like most everywhere else, but it doesn't seem to have been any more strict or to have lasted longer than other countries. Their government response has, by all accounts, been fairly lackadaisical and haphazard at times, and their testing rate/capacity is far lower than it should be, yet they have one of the lowest fatality rates amongst industrialized nations. Being an island nation helps, I'm sure, and for all I know they're a week or two from things blowing up, but it's an interesting case.

It really does show the importance of mask wearing, which is the one thing they share in common with the other East Asian countries that have done a great job of handling the virus. I guess I answered my own question, but an important reminder of how important mask wearing is.

One thing I've seen mentioned with respect to Japan is that people typically don't talk in public there (e.g. the trains are typically silent). We know that people spread considerably more virus when talking (and even more when shouting/singing), but I don't think it's something of which people are very conscious.

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