無料会員登録
English abstract
Let's Take the first step in a new standard Navigation to ride the global tide
Vaccines are controlling the damage incurred by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) worldwide. The global economy is beginning to steer toward job expansion and economic recovery. However, inflation remains a concern for the US and China.
Opinions expressed at the Novel Coronavirus Expert Meeting in Japan have begun to diverge. Despite concerns revolving around the Tokyo Olympics, the meeting lacks recommendations on high school baseball, which is held at the same time and with as much number of participants. Moreover, no concern was expressed for soccer, baseball games, martial arts competitions, or concerts where a large number of people may gather.
The COVID-19 pandemic in Japan is converging, as the country reports smaller number of cases compared with those reported worldwide. In Japan, the mortality rate due to COVID-19 is 0.3% and the number of deaths under the age of 19 was zero. The number of positive cases according to age and number of deaths are inversely correlated (Fig).
Thus, medical researchers are paying attention to the relationship between the severity of COVID-19 and chronic inflammation. Previous studies reported that the elderly who experience inflammation (age-related inflammation; "inflammaging") suffer more damage in contrast to younger people. This tendency is remarkable in Japan.
Therefore, Japan's strategy for vaccination is to begin with the elderly. Notably, the mRNA vaccine is effective for mutant types of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with an efficacy rate reported to reach 90%. Inoculation for medical personnel is nearly complete, whereas inoculation for the elderly is nearing completion. Therefore, the countermeasures for preventing the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in Japan have been completed.
The world is shifting from PCR testing, which tends to produce many false positive results, is economic burden and is time-intensive, to simple antigen testing. In addition, masks are becoming unnecessary.
The Novel Coronavirus Expert Meeting in Japan pertains to a system whose main objective is to spread caution and force people to withdraw from or eliminate interaction. However, I argue that the era of controlling people with fear to enlarge monetary quantitative easement is over. Therefore, I propose that the expert meeting, which was conducted only for the purpose of spreading fear, has consummated its role and that Japan should replace its infection control team and cooperate with other countries to contribute to economic recovery.
I guess the Tokyo Olympics will be a good experience for the whole world.
1. In Japan, COVID-19 is aggravated in and concentrated on the elderly with minimal damage caused to young children. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 is predicted to exacerbate chronic inflammation (inflammaging).
2. Japan is successful in securing vaccines, and the vaccination drive for the elderly is near completion. As the inoculation of the elderly is ending, Japan's measures against COVID-19 are nearly complete.
3. Therefore, young people with little to no vulnerability to the disease may be free to opt for vaccination.
4. An urgent need emerges to shift from PCR testing to simple testing to improve burden costs and time efficiency. Masks are also unnecessary especially outdoors.
5. The cycle of international anxiety and fiscal mobilization is over. In the near future, the economy will re-emerge with employment expansion.
6. Japanese experts are uninterested in the economy and are aiming for zero cases of COVID-19. Disbanding the one-handed infection control team in Japan and forming a new team to gain an integrated understanding of global trends are necessary steps in the future.
7. I guess the Tokyo Olympics in from July to August 2021 will be a good experience for the whole world, as well as exciting Wimbledon match full of spectator in June.
参考資料
1．「開業医に治療を拒否できないように」 日本一コロナ患者を診た「町医者」が語る日本医師会の問題
2．現役医師の提言「日本は日本のコロナを考えよう。過度の自粛は必要ない」
3．新型コロナウイルス感染症の国内発生動向（陽性者数・死亡者数）
4．COVID-19 and the role of chronic inflammation in patients with obesity Int J Obes (Lond). 2020 May 14 : 1-3
5．COVID-19 in underlying COPD Patients, EXCLI J. 2021; 20: 248-251.
6．Why is COVID-19 less severe in children? A review of the proposed mechanisms underlying the age-related difference in severity of SARS-CoV-2 infections, Arch Dis Child. 2020 Dec 1
7．Inflammaging: a new immune-metabolic viewpoint for age-related diseases
Nature Reviews Endocrinology volume 14, pages 576-590 (2018)
8．開業医活用は「難しい」 ワクチンの職域接種―日医会長 時事通信 2021年6月2日
9．Covid: Children aged 12-17 unlikely to be offered vaccine in UK, BBC news 6月16日
10．尾身会長「接種率が上がって集団免疫→早すぎる」
11．「医療崩壊と叫ぶ人が無視する事実」コロナ禍でも絶対に救急を断らない病院がある 笹井恵里子 2021年1月7日
12．パンデミックが危惧される英国 一日の新規感染者4か月ぶり1万人超 日テレニュース 6月18日
13．「インド型」の症状、頭痛・鼻水など風邪に類似 英研究 日経新聞 6月16日
14．ワクチンで80歳超のCOVID-19重症化リスクが8割減＝英イングランド調査 BBC
15．ファイザー製とアストラゼネカ製ワクチン、2回接種でインド型変異株に有効＝英研究 BBC
16．尾身会長「感染リスクの専門家の見解 IOCにも伝達を」NHK 2021年6月8日,
17．ユナイテッド航空、国際線旅客向けに簡易型抗原検査キットを提供、帰国時は渡航先で自身での検査が可能に
18．Tomorrowland "hopeful" about 2021 festival "With a combination of vaccination and rapid testing at the door, we believe we can make Tomorrowland a safe place"
19．米景気、拡大ペース加速 物価上昇と人手不足顕著―FRB報告
20．米 5月の雇用統計 前月比55万人余増加 失業率も5.8％に改善 JETRO 2021年6月7日
21．現役医師の提言「日本のコロナウイルスは終わった。さあ旅にでよう」2020年6月1日
