When the first news about the coronavirus came to light, Japan was in the spotlight. After all, the country is part of the continent where the disease started, in addition to having the oldest population in the world. According to the World Bank¹, 28% of the Japanese are over 60 years old.
As it is a disease that causes inflammation in the body, the coronavirus can aggravate other health problems, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. In the elderly, the danger is even greater, since in addition to having more of these diseases, immunity is also more fragile at this stage of life.
However, fortunately, Japan did not have such a steep curve in the number of deaths compared to other locations, including Brazil. As of June 3rd, the Asian country had recorded nearly 17 thousand cases of infected and 900 deaths, while here the number of infected was over 585 thousand and 32,568 lives lost.
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What has the country done for this?
Although the World Health Organization recommended various measures, including that people stay at home, this does not seem to have been the secret of 日本 being less affected than other nations.
The government did not determine the lockdown, as it happened in Spain and Italy. So much so that on March 22, the Japanese went to the Cherry Blossom Festival — one of the biggest traditions in the country. However, in April, the state of emergency was determined, which also occurred in other locations around the world.
So why are the Japanese numbers relatively lower? How did the population and the government view the pandemic?
Unlike other countries, Japan invested more in testing. By identifying who is infected, it is possible to isolate that person so they do not infect others. Even so, researchers still believe that the country could conduct a greater number of tests.
Another factor that may have contributed to the disease being less felt in the Asian country lies in the culture of the people². The japoneses are very concerned about hygiene. Therefore, they wash their hands frequently, in addition to maintaining a certain distance from other people.
The mask, which has become one of the items to prevent contagion, is already an accessory adopted by many japoneses. People wear masks in Japan for cultural reasons and also to protect health.
In addition, as soon as the coronavirus arrived in Japan, the authorities tried to suspend public events and close schools, as a way to avoid agglomerations. It was not necessary for the first deaths to be recorded for the Japanese to understand the seriousness of the problem that was circulating.
What can we learn?
From the government's point of view, it would be interesting for Brazil to make more tests available to the population. Thus, it would be possible to trace the path of contagion, isolate infected people and prevent the numbers from increasing.
In the private sector, several stores and companies are closed to avoid crowds or are taking precautionary measures. According to Porta Folhetos³, for example, those who bought products from Loja Cem to be paid at the store do not have to worry now, as the units are closed for an indefinite period.
Other businesses across the country are also following the authorities' guidelines. In the case of some bank agencies, the schedules were changed so that the elderly could solve the pending issues more peacefully.
In terms of individual care, it is necessary to do as the japoneses do: maintain isolation, wear a mask, and frequently practice hand hygiene. Although these actions do not completely prevent the transmission of the disease, they significantly reduce the risks, including contamination by another virus or bacteria.
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