Japan now experiences record surges of SARS-CoV-2 cases as speculation of a finished pandemic were premature. Currently about 80% of the population of 126 million people are fully vaccinated (two doses) while a small minority of the population have received the booster dose (still under 5%). They have been over 70% vaccinated since October. Now restrictions are activated yet again just when the population was getting comfortable with what appeared to be a waning pandemic. Record numbers of new cases, even with a generally milder omicron are leading to disturbing numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.
Now with omicron variant -based cases raging infections have skyrocketed because while much of the country is fully vaccinated, that classification isn’t sufficient anymore. Rather to stave off infection Japanese will seek a booster (e.g., a third dose). Meanwhile the Japanese Health Ministry approved the Pfizer vaccine (Comirnaty) for children aged 5-11 as this age cohort becomes increasingly vulnerable to infection.
Cases all but disappear from September through January 2022 as many people speculated as to the cause. Ivermectin proponents suggested that was the cause, but TrialSite can report that was not true. Yet the Tokyo Medical Association Chief Medical Officer recommended the drug but the actual use was limited. TrialSite has reported studies at Kitasato University as well as a commercialization effort at Kowa Co. Ltd. The pharmaceutical company is conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial testing ivermectin.
TrialSite contacts in Japan also mentioned a professor there who suggested the SARS-CoV-2 pathogen had mutated itself into nothing serious. TrialSite’s Daniel O’Connor shared “no one knows why COVID-19 cases in Japan declined so much, but they did from October until early January of this year. It could have been the vaccines or something else. But one thing is clear now. Omicron has arrived in a big way and the hospitalization and death rates are disturbing.”
Surge in Infections, Hospitalizations & Deaths
While Japan has experienced multiple COVID-19 surges nothing has come close to the level of infections associated with omicron. For example, prior to this current surge 25,038 cases were recorded on August 26, 2021, during the delta-based surge. Fast forward to February 1, 2022, and 89,513 new infections were reported according to data from Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 Data Repository by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE).
Starting in Mid-January of this year COVID-19 associated deaths have shot up as well totaling 70 reported on February 1, 2022. Hospitalizations have also surged with 17,269 reported on January 26, the last date for which there is data available in Our World in Data.
Mass Boosters
Meanwhile due to this incredible surge in cases mass booster vaccination centers have been set up reports Yahoo News. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are being administered depending on location.
Restrictions
Now Tokyo is closing restaurants and bars early across one of the world’s largest cities due to the raging infections. A sort of “pre-state of emergency” according to NPR, Japan avoided lockdowns when and wherever it could rather focusing on limiting bars and eating establishments from staying open late. Critics of this approach suggest it’s unfair and doesn’t stop the contagion.
As reported by NPR Japan’s lull in cases led to an ease in border controls in November but that changed quickly with the emergence of the omicron variant of concern. Presently authorities state they will continue strict border controls till at least the end of February.