“Quarantined” in Japan: Swine Flu Outbreak…really?
Freshly imported article from Guest Writer Kevin Chen
Recently, there’s been a rise in the cases of the Swine Flu H1N1 in Japan, in particular in the Kansai region (Kobe and Osaka). This has prompted swift response from authorities in many levels and section of the government. All schools from elementary to high school in Hyogo and Osaka prefecture were shut down last week in an attempt to prevent further spread of the virus. The sight of people wearing surgical mask on the street quickly became a common sight in the train stations, department stores, and offices. Television programs even began advising people to the proper way of hand washing, telling people to wear masks (which has been sold out in most areas in Japan), and offering many other so called “prevention” techniques which often came not from health officials, but instead celebrity guests or TV show hosts. The media bears a large responsibility for stirring up Japan’s over-reaction as the reports have been overwhelmingly focused on exaggerating the situation, failing to state the facts about the Swine Flu.
I was unfortunately (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it) traveling in the Kansai region while the outbreak in Kobe and Osaka occurred. Upon returning to work on Monday in my small town on the southern island of Kyushu, I was immediately asked by my supervisor and other co-workers if I felt sick, have a fever, or any other signs of illness. They seemed to be disappointed when I replied that I felt fine, and was not experiencing any symptoms of a cold or influenza. I was constantly reminded at work to inform them if I felt any discomfort. Then, after work on Tuesday, I got a call from my supervisor saying that they had a meeting about my “situation” and have decided that I should be quarantined at home for the rest of the week. Personally, I was actually really happy to hear that I’ve been quarantined, because it meant a 3 day vacation for me to rest up from a crazy schedule the previous month. However, it makes me wonder what was the point to quarantine me after allowing me to work the previous two days. If I had the Swine Flu I would have spread the virus to my co-workers and others at the city hall by then.
The truth is, the Swine Flu is a much milder virus than the seasonal flu. Yet the media and government officials in Japan has ignored the medical facts and instead seem to be playing the one-up game with each other. It seems to me that school districts have been pressured to over-respond to the Swine Flu in the fear that they would be criticized for not caring enough about the situation. I think this probably has a lot to do with the Japanese culture and it’s ideology of “saving face”. Simply put, the ideology is to ensure that things appear smooth and problem-free on the surface, especially for the outsiders, even if underlying problems exist and is well-noted. In the case of the recent rise in Swine Flu cases, instead of taking a calmer approach and reiterate to the public the medical facts such as that the virus has a relatively low death rate (most cases could be treated with Tamiflu), those who have died from the disease had underlying health conditions, and that masks does not protect against contracting the virus (masks only prevents the person from passing the virus to others, though it’s still not 100% preventative). So instead of dealing with the Swine Flu calmly and rationally, the Japanese government’s failure to rebuke the misleading media reports have only continued to fuel the overanxious school officials, and the often over-caring Japanese parents.
Kevin Chen has spent the last few years living in various regions of Japan, including Osaka, Hokkaido, and now Kyushu, where he works as a Coordinator of International Relations (CIR) with the Jet Programme. Amongst his interests in the Japanese culture and language, Kevin is an active humanitarian and has volunteered in an orphanage in the town of Sangklaburi, Thailand (as seen in the picture), and has recently returned from a trip to India, volunteering in Gummallapadu Village. Kevin is born in Taiwan, and raised Canada.
Prime Minister Taro Aso’s public service announcement:
School Children All Masked Up:
