[LINK] Japanese face masks (was Re: Radiation)

[Kim Holburn]

On 2011/Mar/16, at 9:04 AM, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> And why are so many people wearing facemasks in Japan? Is that 
> because of normal pollution levels or something to do with dust or 
> molds dislodged by the quake?

This is quite normal in Japan and has been for a number of years.  It's to stop giving (and possibly getting) rhinoviruses.  They live in a very human dense environment.  It's nothing to do with the disaster.

Here's a news article about it from 1999:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/354321.stm

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Kim Holburn
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