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

[Kim Holburn]

On 2011/Mar/23, at 9:31 AM, Pilcher, Fred wrote:

> 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.

Given the density of people in large Japanese cities, I don't think so.  Are you saying that Japan will have an immunocompromised population because they don't cough and sneeze mucus all over each other in public?  Like we do?    

There's lots of different disgusting customs around the world.  Just because they don't indulge in one of ours doesn't make them immunocompromised.


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Kim Holburn
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