I can't say that I object to this latest border closing though, as in theory it makes sense. Heck, just living in Japan/Tokyo itself is a major one given the potential for a catastrophic earthquake that could kill millions of people. Things like walking down the street with your face glued to a phone display. It's remarkable the way people are so terrified of a virus that has such a low fatality rate, yet engage in all kinds of risky activities every day and think nothing of it. 10Īt some point the world is going to have to just accept COVID-19 will continue to mutate and be a problem. Closed borders won't make much sense then, but the J government (just like many other ones) will use it as a way to show that they're "taking action" without really doing anything and keep people out as long as possible. Not to jump the gun, but I can't see non-Japanese passport holders being prioritised over Japanese ones (with regards to circumstances other than their nationality), who are just as likely to inevitably bring in this variant. One thing I'm concerned about it is how they will choose those 3,500 travellers. But this mutation seems to be able to circumvent the vaccine better than the previous ones, which is truly worrying (although there doesn't seem to be any conclusive data on the likelihood of developing sever symptoms, as far as I know). A lack of preparation with vaccination, mask-wearing and increasing hospital capacity was mostly what decided where the virus hit hardest. "As long as large portions of the world's population are unvaccinated, variants will continue to appear, and the pandemic will continue to be prolonged." -3Ĭlosing borders seems reasonable although it hasn't really worked at any time during the pandemic. Seth Berkley, CEO of the GAVI Vaccine Alliance that with the WHO co-leads the COVAX initiative to push for equitable distribution of vaccines, told Reuters on Saturday: We will only get the better of the virus if we work together for solutions." "COVID-19 constantly exploits our divisions. "With the Omicron variant now detected in several regions of the world, putting in place travel bans that target Africa attacks global solidarity," she said in a statement. The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, also criticised some of the travel bans targeting African countries as divisive, and urged countries to follow science and international health regulations in their decision-making. I understand that the first reaction is to close the door in case of danger but you need to re-open it based on facts in a fast, timely manner that too without discriminations (Japanese and valid reentry permit holders should be treated same).
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