Wearing masks in areas with no swine flu

A clip from yesterday’s FTV news broadcast shows that kindergarteners in Chiba Prefecture, an area of Japan with no confirmed H1N1 flu cases, are being forced to wear protective masks while going on a short field trip:

A few of the kids don’t look so happy to be wearing the uncomfortable masks.

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12 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - May 21, 2009 at 8:07 am

Categories: General Japan Tags: swne flu

http://www.hormel.com VonSkippy

Cute kids. Too bad Japan’s irrational fears are being brainwashed into them at such a early age.
LB

Yes by all means don’t be proactive. Proactive is bad! Bad, people, bad! H1N1 has not (yet) reached Chiba, therefore people there should do absolutely nothing and just sit on their hands until it does. H1N1 is a mild form of influenza, and it seems most people who catch it can just ride it out at home like any other flu. True – but why not take steps to try to avoid catching it in the first place? Only a relatively small percentage of those who have caught it worldwide have died, yes, but so what? What’s wrong with taking steps to limit the possibility of getting sick, even from a minor illness, in the first place?

Sheesh.

lovely

they should not sit on their hands but learn how to wash them, learn how to cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough. one lady said she felt safe. yeah, right. put on a mask and feel safe. let`s learn some real world facts and practice good hygiene.

LB

“they should not sit on their hands but learn how to wash them”
You mean like everyone and their brother is going on about all over Japan?

“learn how to cover their mouths when they sneeze or cough”
Um, what do you think the mask does?

“yeah, right. put on a mask and feel safe.”
The mask should not be considered the be-all and end-all of protection. True, and I never said otherwise. However, it is an effective method of stopping particulate matter, such as other people’s saliva and mucus, from getting in your nose and mouth. A mask is also effective at keeping your own saliva and mucus out of other people’s noses and mouths.

“let`s learn some real world facts and practice good hygiene.”
Agreed. Absolutely. And that is not inconsistent with mask use.

lovely

do you ever look at how people wear masks? a lot of them wear them just over their mouths so that their noses are exposed. that is not keeping their “juices” out of other people`s noses and mouths. my point is, here in Japan, so many people put too much emphasis on masks. if they wear a mask they must be “safe” and that is just not true.

me

The number of fallacies you’re spouting out is making my brain hurt.

LB

You have one?

yoga boy

He ate your’s but is hungry for more…

morphine

Japanese people wear masks all the time..

Grinz

it’s because they’re all ninjas

Roura

Awww I want a Japanese kid!
blake

I can somewhat see trying to be preventive to stop the spread of the flu, but I think masks for such young age kids is useless.

What do kids of that age do all the time with their hands? Touch their faces. The mask can protect from direct contact with hands. Plus masks might make these kids do that more.

I like the idea of taking preventive measures. Although it’s just a flu, it’s a flu that’s spreading and any kind of flu is not fun. But I just don’t know if this is such a good idea.

Wearing masks in areas with no swine flu

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