Anyway, the reason Japan had comparatively few Covid deaths in 2020 and 2021 is most likely due to immunological factors like pre-existing cellular immunity (see https://www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs/research_news/pr/2021/20211208_1/), low levels of obesity and vitamin D deficiency, etc.
As for increasing cases this year, I put it down to Omicron’s ability to evade vaccinees’ antibodies and the vaccines’ suppression of the innate immune system. As for increasing deaths, it’s worth bearing in mind the from/with split is 60/40 (see https://guygin.substack.com/p/honest-accounting?s=w).
I’ll get round to detailing the factors for Japan’s low Covid death rate at some point, but I’m better at writing about idiot politicians and moronic media than about immunology.
Japan in particular (and maybe others I’m much less familiar with) I believe is culturally rigged against things like covid. You don’t handshake, you don’t greet with a hug or kiss on the cheek, but a bow at some distance. Shoes off before entering the house. Feel a sniffle coming on, wear a mask — not for your protection, but to be polite to others. Absolutely diet and overall health, just look at historical life expectancy to see that story (vaccines will now undo this?). That was all well established culturally before this, and I think are all significant contributors to the complex whole…
I agree vaccination in Japan (well generally) was a mistake. Too much damage to family and friends there, when the disease — even with omicron outside Tokyo really — was a no-show. A study of space heater sales this winter vs past might be worthwhile, the thing around the neighborhood this year among the now nearly all vaccinated obaachan, was the need to keep a space heater going in the bathroom overnight (central heating being not necessarily a thing) due to the increase in cold onset strokes…
Thanks for the mention.
Anyway, the reason Japan had comparatively few Covid deaths in 2020 and 2021 is most likely due to immunological factors like pre-existing cellular immunity (see https://www.riken.jp/en/news_pubs/research_news/pr/2021/20211208_1/), low levels of obesity and vitamin D deficiency, etc.
It is NOT due to anything they did (see https://guygin.substack.com/p/on-masks-and-misconceptions?s=w).
As for increasing cases this year, I put it down to Omicron’s ability to evade vaccinees’ antibodies and the vaccines’ suppression of the innate immune system. As for increasing deaths, it’s worth bearing in mind the from/with split is 60/40 (see https://guygin.substack.com/p/honest-accounting?s=w).
I’ll get round to detailing the factors for Japan’s low Covid death rate at some point, but I’m better at writing about idiot politicians and moronic media than about immunology.
I agree, much of Asia has seen this before — this I thought a good walk down that road: https://roundingtheearth.substack.com/p/the-omicron-hypothesis-part-4?r=r6d2x&s=r&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web There was a bad flu season Fall-winter 2019 that shut down schools and I’d bet wasn’t flu…
Japan in particular (and maybe others I’m much less familiar with) I believe is culturally rigged against things like covid. You don’t handshake, you don’t greet with a hug or kiss on the cheek, but a bow at some distance. Shoes off before entering the house. Feel a sniffle coming on, wear a mask — not for your protection, but to be polite to others. Absolutely diet and overall health, just look at historical life expectancy to see that story (vaccines will now undo this?). That was all well established culturally before this, and I think are all significant contributors to the complex whole…
I agree vaccination in Japan (well generally) was a mistake. Too much damage to family and friends there, when the disease — even with omicron outside Tokyo really — was a no-show. A study of space heater sales this winter vs past might be worthwhile, the thing around the neighborhood this year among the now nearly all vaccinated obaachan, was the need to keep a space heater going in the bathroom overnight (central heating being not necessarily a thing) due to the increase in cold onset strokes…