It was the opposite. In the minds of many in Japan and around the world, they thought the Japanese government didn't react fast or effectively enough when they didn't go into full shutdown mode like they did in many parts of the world. In the end the virus didn't hit them nearly as hard as other nations not because of the action or inaction of the government, but because their population was largely healthy enough to not be hugely effected by the virus, something that you can't seem to understand and/or want to acknowledge. Namely health is the predominate deciding factor in how well one can deal with the virus.
Prove it. Go ahead, I'll wait. And I'll point out once again, one of the best diets in the world and only 0.4% difference in the hospitalization rate from ours. Keep ignoring that because it doesn't fit with your belief that all we need to do is eat healthier.
Consider maybe, just maybe, because Asia (and also Africa, because you wish to bring them up now as well) has/have had a recent history of epidemics that they didn't hesitate to react and were better prepared?
Also of note: pretty much anyone during that time exhibiting cold-like symptoms will have–with astounding likeliness–already been wearing a mask, inside or outside, as that is the social norm. Ontario didn't mandate masks until July 7th, 2020
Japan:
January 16th (day 0): First Covid case.
January 24th (day 8): Prime Minister Abe convened a meeting on covid response and made the public statement "I ask that the public strictly adhere to prevention measures against the common cold and behave calmly without overly reacting.”
January 30th (day 14): They create the "Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters" (response team)
February 13th (day 28): Emergency response financial support package announced.
February 25th (day 40): Decision is made to ask companies to work from home if possible, and for those with
cold-like symptoms to stay home.
February 27th (day 42): Mandate the closure of all areas of large gatherings (schools, etc.).
Ontario/Canada:
January 25th (day 0): First case of covid in Canada
March 4th (day 39): Trudeau convenes first covid meeting. There's no statement directed to the public.
March 12th (day 47): Schools mandated closed in Ontario
March 12th (day 47): work from home (if non-essential) mandated in Ontario
March 18th (day 53): Canada announces financial support package
March 25th (day 60): Ontario announces financial support package
March 28th (day 63): Ban on large gatherings in Ontario
You'll note the more than a month of difference in response times? They acted from almost day one. We waited a month before really doing anything.
Regardless of how slowly the Japanese believe they reacted, it was still *faster* than us. It took us a month to get even half the people here wearing masks *voluntarily*.
Welll apparently no one told the Japanese population that social distancing and not gathering in large crowds was necessary that's for sure, otherwise there wouldn't be countless videos on youtube showing the Japanese living their lives in a largely normal manner. Interesting how they can pack their trains and buses and walk around without staying apart and they're not dropping like flies while our government is telling Canadians that we have to keep apart every damn day. Can you please explain that part?
Look, Torontonians living their lives in a largely normal matter, (a good number without masks) on August 21st in the middle of a pandemic.
During that time we had indoor dining and only modest restrictions on gatherings, btw.
Also, you keep ignoring the parts where the Japanese are in a panic right now because of a fast surge in cases that is on par with some of our lowest per-capita numbers.
I'm sure a few months back you were also saying we should be following Sweden's model, too.
Please, refer to "confirmation bias".
Place Canada's population in Japan and Japan's population in Canada and I bet you a billion dollars Japan's covid deaths will dramatically rise while Canada's covid deaths would dramatically fall and that would mostly have to do with that fact that generally the Japanese are healthier than Canadians. The response to the virus manners much less than the health of a population and we've seen that time and again in practically every nation.
Again, 0.4% difference in hospitalization rates. Health has little (if anything to do with it).
And its also the reason why the entire continent of Africa with a 1.2 billion population is still at about 75,000 deaths. Is every single African nation collectively responding more effectively than all western countries or is it perhaps as simple as a healthy, young population isn't nearly as affected as much older and less healthy western populations?
You apparently don't give a crap about low-income people, small business or anyone else when you keep characterizing all the damage that's been done to people's lives as being a 'minor inconvenience'. Imagine allowing most of the general population to continue to work and simply protecting the elderly and sick as best you can without going overboard like we have now, how much less damage we would've done to ourselves?
I directed "inconvenience" at you personally (see my above comments about privilege). And yes, Africa has a lot of experience dealing with epidemics.
For some it's worse than others. If you worked from home before, it's not all that much different. If you worked in an office, you're likely having Zoom meetings.
The low-income groups are the ones being hit hardest (perhaps you missed where I said that?). How much of an inconvenience would it really be for them though if rent/income support were fully matched at the government level to support those losing jobs and staying home? The same for small business?
Instead, we create crappy plans where landlords got to decide if they wanted to evict and sue or get 75% of the rent from the government. Or the month it took after lockdown to get CERB out, and only to those who applied and were eligible (thereby alienating anyone working under the table).
We should've been better than we are. Blame lays on the governments involved, and not the restrictions they placed.
All hundreds of billions we've spent and will continue to spend fighting and paying for the virus could've been significantly offset by the money continuing to come in to pay for everything and the results in deaths and overall impact would've been the same if not better if the population were allowed to continue living.
You're still "living". 2 million people worldwide aren't.
Perhaps you might also want to look south of our border to see how well resisting restrictions in the name of "continuing living" has worked out? Has their economy fared just fine? How long are those lines at Texas food banks now?
But you're right, we should've spent more and earlier, and combined with having DONE more earlier, avoided a lot of what we've gone through. Unfortunately, too many people still aren't being supported and we've been too easy in our restrictions, requiring a repeat and stricter measures for much longer.
In what world is 'healthy eating a privilege of the wealthy'?!?!?! I'm SAVING A TON OF MONEY by eating healthier. I go to No Frills, Food Basics and a couple of asisn supermarkets for most of my groceries and I don't spend much per month. Nearly every week at least one place has 10lb bags of potatoes, carrots or onions for $2-4 or $1 pasta and sauces or different vegetables on discount. I only buy things when they're on sale and then I stock up on things that can be stored long term. Most of the fish and meat I eat I only buy if its been discounted 30-50% off.
