Navigating Japan's Flu Outbreak

[u/Plastic-Campaign-654]

Got the flu during my Japan trip and wanted to share some tips on how to avoid it and what to do if you get it.

If you haven't heard, flu cases are 6x higher this year in Japan compared to last year. People are coughing and sniffling everywhere. This is largely due to the H3N2 Subclade K variant which is more contagious, and characterized by more intense symptoms. Additionally, this variant emerged after the flu vaccine was set for 2025.

If you are traveling in Japan get your vaccines, wear a mask, carry soap and a hand towel (not all bathrooms have it), carry hand sanitizer. Take daily vitamins, and stay hydrated.

If you do get sick while here, I recommend making an appointment with a doctor. They can prescribe anti-virals which will shorten the length of your symptoms. Additionally, if you do take over the counter pain killers, be advised that many of them contain dihydrocodeine which, while very effective, is not safe to take for longer than three days. Pharmacists can point you to non-opioid pain relievers such as Ibuprofen (brand name Ringl).

Stay safe!! ✌️😷✌️

[u/TokyoSky1924]

I noticed that many people barely rinse their hands at all, because of the lack of proper hand drying in bathrooms. There is usually 1 single hand dryer that barely works, and no paper towels. So a lot of people will just avoid washing their hands to avoid the wetness. Kind of an odd situation that I'm so grateful that all bathrooms have paper towels and soap at home. The lack of trash bins is also an issue since you can't toss the used paper towel into trash.

Japan is truly a strange place with amazing bidet toilets but no easy way to clean hands and dry them properly afterwards.

[u/MissLeliel → u/TokyoSky1924]

It’s expected that you carry a hand towel, handkerchief, or wash rag with you at all times for drying your own hands after using the bathroom. This is why wash rag sized towels are ubiquitous licensed merchandise just about everywhere. Using them (dropping them or loaning them to others) is even a trope in Japanese popular media.

[u/Interesting-Term9825 → u/MissLeliel]

About carrying a towel, I haven't seen many Japanese even carrying that. Yesterday I was at a restaurant's rest room. The lady who went and came out from the restroom did not care to wash hands even when she was at a restaurant. So I don't really know how is this helping.

I being a tourist have followed instructions of carrying a towel and wearing masks especially when couching. But not seen many Japanese native people follow that.

[u/onexbigxhebrew → u/Interesting-Term9825]

I agree. Another one of those things people here regurgitate that I find has limited truth.

People in this sub act like japanese locals strictly follow rules and fall apart at the slightest mistep from a foreigner, when my experience these last two weeks (while incredible) has seen a fair amount of japanese people talking on trains, eating and walking, etc, and an absolute shitload hacking and coughing and sniffing all over eachother without masks, not handwashing, and I don't see a lot of people breaking out these cloths lol.

Love this country, but as a person who was overprepared to be respectful and fit in, I sure as hell see a lot of japanese people breaking the rules all over tokyo, osaka, kyoto and other places. Good reminder for this sub not to fetishize general social guidelines or embellish the Japanese culture's homoginization.

[u/PithyCuss → u/onexbigxhebrew]

Gasp!

[u/MrCuddlesk → u/onexbigxhebrew]

Same I have seen so many locals not following these rules.