Covid-19: Japan lifts health restrictions, but the population remains cautious
Audio 01:19
Tokyoites walk the streets wearing face masks in the Japanese capital on March 16, 2022. © Kim Kyung-Hoon, Reuters
Text by: RFI Follow
2 mins
Japan, in turn, lifted on Monday March 21 the health restrictions it had imposed in early January, when a sixth wave of the epidemic, carried by the omicron variant, had begun to sweep over the archipelago.
After nearly 8,000 Japanese died two and a half months later, authorities are still advising the public to exercise the utmost caution.
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With our correspondent in Tokyo,
Bruno Duval
For many doctors, this lifting
of health restrictions
is premature: admittedly, the number of daily cases of Covid-19 is decreasing, but very slowly and not dramatically.
In addition, 60% of Japanese still have not received
their third dose of the vaccine
.
Many Tokyoites therefore do not intend to let their guard down.
“
Lifting the restrictions seems to me to put the cart before the horse.
What should have been done first was to increase the
vaccination rate
, ”says a resident.
"
The last time the state of emergency was lifted, in October 2021, we were then hit by the deadliest wave of the epidemic,
" said a woman.
History could well repeat itself
”.
“
I will continue to leave my house as little as possible and, in fact, it does not bother me more than that
”, continues a Japanese woman.
“
In bars and restaurants, the rule will be a maximum of four at the table and for two hours, no more.
In these conditions, you might as well drink at home after work
, ”annoys another Tokyoite.
The
wearing of the mask will also remain rigorous
both outside and inside.
And in April, the Japanese will be asked to forgo crowds and boozy banquets, traditionally celebrating the arrival of spring with cherry blossoms.
But the stadiums and performance halls will be able to accommodate large crowds: no more gauge will be required there.
This "
two-weight, two-measure
", to the detriment of what has always been the great bucolic and festive tradition of the year, arouses lively debates on social networks.
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