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

[Pilcher, Fred]

Kim wrote:

> 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

Bizarre. From a public health POV surely that's creating an immunocompromised population.

Fred


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