JAPAN: Government relaxes quarantine as flu rules and its travel advisory to Mexico as cases near 300 and face masks run out

Record ID: 461605

  • Title: JAPAN: Government relaxes quarantine as flu rules and its travel advisory to Mexico as cases near 300 and face masks run out
  • Date: 23rd May 2009
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MAY 22, 2009) (REUTERS) PHARMACY EXTERIOR EMPTY RACKS WHERE MASKS HAD BEEN ON SALE CLOSE UP OF SIGN SAYING "SORRY, MASKS HAVE SOLD OUT" (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 22-YEAR-OLD MEMBER OF PHARMACY STAFF, YOSHITAKA OSAWA, SAYING "Today we miraculously got an order in of 30 boxes of masks but that was gone in under one minute." OFFICE WORKERS WITH MASKS ON (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 62-YEAR-OLD COMPANY EXECUTIVE, MIZUHIRO SAITO, SAYING "It will hit Tokyo eventually as we're a big city and when it does it will spread very fast. I am sure there are even infected people around us right now as we speak. The only thing is that we just don't know it." MAN WALKING BY WITH MASK (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 22-YEAR-OLD TOKYO RESIDENT, YUKA OBA, SAYING: "Eventually I think I will start wearing a mask, but right now we're getting conflicting information and I really don't know what to think." MAN WITH MASK ON TRAIN PLATFORM TRAIN GOES BY
  • Embargoed: 7th June 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Health
  • Reuters ID: LVA15E4E5Q980U1Y5GPRV07ZH3XJ
  • Story Text: Japan relaxed rules for dealing with the new H1N1 flu on Friday (May 22), concerned that strict regulations could harm the economy and needlessly restrict the public, given that most of its nearly 300 cases have been mild.
    Japan's plans were drafted with the deadly bird flu in mind, while studies show the new swine flu is behaving like seasonal flu.
    "I would like to amend our basic influenza strategy and our efforts to stop the disease at our borders today," Prime Minister Taro Aso told a meeting on influenza.
    Under the new guidelines, suspected patients in areas where the number of cases are rapidly increasing, would be allowed to go to regular medical institutions rather than only designated "fever centres" set up to deal with the new flu, according to health minister Yoichi Masuzoe.
    Designated centres in western areas, where the infection is widespread, have filled to bursting in recent days.
    Schools in infected areas would not automatically be closed down, the minister added.
    Quarantine checks on airplanes will no longer be conducted in most instances. Japan also relaxed its travel warning for Mexico, calling for caution rather than the postponement of visits.
    However the mood in Japan remained tense over the influenza cases.
    There were even recriminations over some failures to prevent infection.
    The head teacher of a school near Tokyo, attended by two girls who were infected on a trip to New York, was reduced to tears at a news conference this week after receiving dozens of telephone calls criticising him for allowing them to go.
    "I was instructed by the student hospitalised in Hachioji that she says to everyone concerned that she is very sorry for everything that happened," Takayoshi Maeda told reporters.
    Long popular with Japanese who want to avoid passing on a cold or breathing in allergenic pollen, masks have become an essential accessory in many parts of Japan where infects were reported.
    Furthermore many people were buying stockpiles, causing a shortage even in the capital city.
    The Kimura pharmarcy, like many around Tokyo on Friday were out of stock of face masks and the few orders that would come in did not last very long.
    "Today we miraculously got an order in of 30 boxes of masks but that was gone in under one minute," a Kimura pharmarcy staff member, Yoshitaka Osawa told Reuters.
    Commuters in Tokyo that were able to get their hands on masks near Shinbashi station said they were not taking any chances.
    "It will hit Tokyo eventually as we're a big city and when it does it will spread very fast. I am sure there are even infected people around us right now as we speak. The only thing is that we just don't know it," said 62-year old company executive Mizuhiro Saito said adding he believed the mask were somewhat effective.
    Others were simply confused by conflicting reports of the masks effectiveness.
    "Eventually I think I will start wearing a mask but right now we're getting conflicting information and I really don't know what to think," said 22-year old Tokyo resident, Yuka Oba.
    Many members of the public are wearing them in an effort to avoid getting infected themselves, though experts say cheap masks, as opposed to virus-proof types, offer little protection.
    That however did not stop some from selling off their stocks at a profit on Internet auction sites.
    Yahoo.co.jp's online auction Website showed over 12,400 offerings of medical masks, with the latest bid for one item, 100 boxes of 50 masks, reaching 500,000 yen ($5000USD).
    The H1N1 flu strain is a never-before-seen mixture of swine, bird and human viruses that spreads easily between people.
    It has killed 85 people and infected more than 11,000 in 41 countries, according to the World Health Organisation.
    A total of 289 cases have been confirmed in Japan, most in the western part of the country and many of them high school students.
    Two cases have been confirmed in Tokyo.
    While some restrictions are being relaxed, politicians in the junior ruling coalition New Komeito Party were being urged to take precautions.
    The party's candidates in a July Tokyo assembly election were advised to limit their hand-shaking during the campaign, according to the regional Tokyo Shimbun daily said.
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