During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries enforced strict lockdowns, but Japan took a different approach. Instead of mandatory measures, Japanese authorities issued health advisories, trusting citizens to comply voluntarily. Researchers from Osaka University recently studied how this strategy influenced public behavior and health perceptions during and after the pandemic.
Their findings were published in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. The team conducted a comprehensive panel survey between January 2020 and March 2024 to explore the effects of Japan’s state of emergency declarations on the public.
While the government declared states of emergency at various times, the health guidelines varied by region depending on infection rates. Lead author Mei Yamagata noted that despite these differences, people’s hygiene behaviors, social interactions, and risk perceptions did not vary significantly by region. This indicates a strong interconnectedness among communities, fueled by social networks and media exposure.
The study involved about 1,200 citizens, surveyed repeatedly over more than four years, tracing their responses from the onset of the pandemic. Researchers found that when a state of emergency was declared, awareness of COVID-19 risks heightened. People increased practices like wearing masks and disinfecting hands. Notably, even after the government lifted the state of emergency in late May 2020, many individuals continued these hygiene practices for a while.
“People’s awareness of the risks associated with COVID increased after a state of emergency was declared. We also saw significant increases in hygienic behaviors such as mask-wearing and hand-disinfection,” noted Michio Murakami, one of the study’s authors.
In May 2023, the Japanese government reclassified COVID-19, treating it like seasonal flu. The researchers examined how this shift influenced public attitudes. Senior author Asako Miura observed changes in behavior following this relaxation of policies. With reduced fear of contracting the virus, fewer people began to wear masks. Interestingly, those over 42 tended to be less compliant with mask-wearing compared to younger individuals, possibly due to a sense of optimism regarding their risk of infection.
The findings highlight lessons from Japan’s approach, which emphasizes the importance of public cooperation in managing health crises. As past experiences suggest, it’s prudent to learn from this pandemic as we prepare for future public health challenges.
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Source linkcovid-19, Pandemic, Public Health, Hygiene, Psychology, Research, Technology
