Over 1,000 schools, kindergartens in Osaka, Hyogo to be closed due to new flu

Sunday 17th May, 06:09 PM JST

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neverknow2 at 08:40 AM JST - 18th May

I ask Osaka residents to wash their hands and wear masks...

AND COVER YOUR MOUTH WHEN YOU COUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why are Japan's officials not telling people this????? I cannot understand?? Are they really and truly backward???????????

It's simple! Cover your mouth then wash your hands.

Here's another brilliant one. 'If you are sick, stay home.'

Too many people are going to bring it out into the community. I think we all realise this is going to spread very fast because people are not going to follow these simple instructions.

If someone coughs on me on the train, I dont turn away politely, I let them know how dirty they are. The you should see all the others that move away when they hear 'flu'!!!
Himajin at 08:55 AM JST - 18th May

I was enraged watching the news this morning. They interviewed kids from Kobe Koukou. They had a volleyball tournament this past week and now kids from all the participating schools are sick.

Quote of the week--

"They went to practice and to the tournament because they thought it was regular influenza"

Oi......until this ridiculous club katsudo 'working out while sick builds character' mindset is changed, as well as sick people going to work so as not to be thought 'lazy', or worse yet going because they're thought of as 'gaman-zuyoi' and admired, Japan is ripe for a pandemic.
tkoind2 at 09:08 AM JST - 18th May

Himajin is right. A friend's boss once told her, if you call in sick we think you are shirking your responsibility. It is better to come to the office and "fall down" before taking the day off. Then we know you are dedicated and can respect your day off.

This thinking is bone headed at any time. It invites the entire office to be sick. And it shows zero regard for the health and well being of employees. But the sad truth is this thinking rules Japan. And that "Gambarro" nonsense will be Japan's undoing in this flu situation.

All the more reason to be prepared and to do all you can to be ready. Once this gets out, and it seems it has, it will spread like wildfire.
Samuraiiki at 09:36 AM JST - 18th May

Japanese workers inside US bases have to either go to work sick, then they can go home on sick leave; or they have to bring a doctor's certificate to attest of their medical condition. As opposed to US employees who can call in sick up to 3 days without having to prove anything. Supervisors can normally tell who is milking the system. Japanese seem to have a system of mistrust instead of trust. It is surprising that this sytem has worked to their economic accomplishement. But it also has added to the detriment of employee's well being.
tkoind2 at 09:44 AM JST - 18th May

So much adds to the detriment of workers in Japan. Unpaid massive overtime, lack of adequate leave and vacation time, lack of support for families, idiotic sick leave policies and general use of workers as disposable resources.

Japan needs to wake up and treat human beings like people. We already see the terrible suicide rate and the rampant alcoholism that plagues Japan. Now, when it needs rational thinking most, the Flu may prove these old standing policies to be fatal for a lot of people.
mansen at 10:25 AM JST - 18th May

Can someone pls help me with these questions? How different is this new flu from all the previous flu in the past? Why did they raise this flu to level five and eventually level 6 "pandemic", when they did not do it with other flu in the past?
Ok, as of now, about 40 people died and 1000 are infected. But that's probably less serious than the seasonal flu that happens every year.
EUgirl at 10:43 AM JST - 18th May

mansen: Read today's Japan Times p. 6, the Washington Post article. It is all explained there. Basicly, this is not the seasonal influenza, this is similar to the 1918, 1957, 1968 and 1977 pandemics. Big difference is that when seasonal flu kills mostly 65+ people, this kills young people.

Globally some 75 people have died. An estimate is that worldwide some 100 000 people are infected, although tested cases are 8 700.

Also simple mathematics: don't compare 3-4 weeks of a start of an infection with one year of another disease. Do the comparison after 1 year from now.
EUgirl at 10:50 AM JST - 18th May

tkoind2: I agree. I was appalled that in Japanese companies you cannot even receive cell phone calls from family members. When I worked in a Japanese office, people sneaked to the toilet if they had an urgent call to make and whispered there in their cell phones. I agree that you should not plan weekend dates during work time, but for sure you should be able to openly receive phone calls from your kids, your kids' school etc. as well be able to call them and remind them of eating their after school snacks etc. - that is what they do in my country.

And this gambare spirit of having kids compete in sports while sick - the kyouiku iinkai and the schools should be severely questioned about this. But another thing: some people in Kansai are already blaming the schools, but what about the parents of those kids? Shouldn't they take some responsibility in protecting their kids?
tkoind2 at 10:53 AM JST - 18th May

EUgirl is right. This is not your usual flu in that it has killed otherwise healthy people. The usual flu tends to kill those with weak immune systems or the elderly.

Likewise this is a new strain with the potential to evolve. Remembe that 1918 was very similar in many regards. And it killed more people than the war that had been raging in Europe.
mansen at 11:00 AM JST - 18th May

EUgirl: thanks for clearing that up
telecasterplayer at 11:49 AM JST - 18th May

My girlfriend's kid is in one of these schools that's closed this week. He's celebrating by sleeping in, LOL.

This is not your usual flu in that it has killed otherwise healthy people.

When did that happen? The only deaths I've seen reported were people with existing health issues, or people suffering a lack of access to reasonable medical care. As long as Japan has some Tamiflu in stock, it sure doesn't seem like this is going to be a big deal.

I'm still waiting for the bird flu, sars, west nile disease, lyme disease and monkey pox to come.. never did.
roomtemperature at 01:49 PM JST - 18th May

Telecasterplayer, it's true that this new flu is absolutely NOT like your seasonal flu. It has the same toxicity, but it can spread much faster and much easier. Bird flu, you say? The opposite! Won't spread so easily, but has a very high toxicity. You can imagine what happens if those two viruses combine. After all, viruses have the ability to modify. You understand what's all that "exaggerated" fuss is about now?
dracpoo2 at 10:50 PM JST - 18th May

Correction...The schools won't be closed. The teachers are still there.
maggiebrown at 02:24 AM JST - 19th May

I just found this video on You Tube that really shows how germs and viruses spread. It is so cool. It's meant for kids but I even learned a lot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=56mq1t1BqfY
telecasterplayer at 12:47 PM JST - 20th May

This flu is not the andromeda strain, despite the breathless dramatics surrounding it.