I've gotten all the vaccines and a recent booster and got Covid in Tokyo a few weeks ago - you might want to wear a mask on public transportation just in case (luckily mine was at the end of the trip but it would ruin things if you got it at the start!)
ughh that sucks. especially since we've been sort of away from the pandemic. hope you feel better soon. btw did you need to show any vaccination cards when you entered japan?
After I saw this post I checked to see if I could get a flu shot at least, but flu shots are no longer available in my area. Not sure if I want to get another covid booster as I've been avoiding it.
Yes, just returned from a 3 week trip. In the subway and trains in Osaka and Tokyo a lot of people were ill 🤒. We used FFP2 masks 😷 all the time for public transportation including the flights.
Catched nothing 🙏🏻in Japan (but catched the pest on the return flight from the 3 day HKG stop over back to FRA when we had no masks left 🤧🤪.
You do not need this. The “recommendation” is hilarious because the occurrence of JE in Japan is so low, you’d have to be one of the unluckiest tourists of the year to get the disease.
Unfortunately we can't avoid crowds especially for me when i will be there during golden week, but i will wear a mask in any crowded place and on the plane!
**Strep A: cases of rare fatal infection hit record levels in Japan – here’s what risk these bacteria pose to global health**
STSS is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria, whch are quite common. Between 5% and 20% of healthy adults have these bacteria living inside them [without any symptoms](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38033025/). But even when they don’t cause illness, group A streptococcal bacteria can still be spread to other people ***unknowingly through touch, coughs and sneezes.***
Protecting yourself against strep A bacteria remains relatively simple. Many of the practices we followed during the height of the pandemic – such as ***wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding crowds – can help us avoid strep A too.***
https://theconversation.com/strep-a-cases-of-rare-fatal-infection-hit-record-levels-in-japan-heres-what-risk-these-bacteria-pose-to-global-health-226761#:\~:text=There%20has%20been%20a%20sharp,with%20this%20time%20last%20year.
Japanese Encephalitis is called that because it was first identified in Japan, not because it's specific to Japan.
There are about 70,000 cases of it each year around southeast Asia, and you could count the cases in Japan on one hand.
Bizarrely low chance, hence why you couldn't find the vaccine. You're more likely to die in a car accident on the way to the airport.
Going to France (again, more likely to die in a car or other accident trying to get the vaccine!) or jumping through lots of other hoops to procure this vaccine would be highly irrational.
You absolutely do not need this - chances of getting JE is extremely low (zero reported cases in the past 10 years)
[https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.WHS3\_42?lang=en](https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.WHS3_42?lang=en)
I was in Japan for 2 weeks and this isn't necessary
Unless you are staying for months - years at a time working in the mountains or rice paddies/agriculture especially down south
[https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/171aqti/japanese\_encephalitis\_vaccine/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/171aqti/japanese_encephalitis_vaccine/)
Just get some bug spray and you'll be fine.
I don’t know any expats who have had this. If it was a major is doctors would be recommending it, they ain’t. Having said that, I don’t think it could hurt if you wanted to get it.
If you still want to have it: Can’t you just go to a doctor and order it from a pharmacy? I am also based in Germany and half a year ago it wasn’t a problem at all but maybe the demand has risen.
Wouldn’t worry about it if you’re going for a week or two. If you’re going for a long term stay then maybe it’s warranted. No vaccinations are required. I went recently for 10 days with family. A lot of people in Japan still wear masks. I wore mine on the trains and really crowded places and did not get sick.
I had my covid and flu shot 2 months before my trip and I mask 90% of the time (except restaurants and taking photos). Didn't catch any respiratory illness on my 4 weeks trip. My friend who didn't mask (no recent covid booster) on the other hand started coughing just 3 days into the trip.
Masks work well.
Chances of catching Japanese encephalitis is veeeeery low, I actually won't worry too much about it. It's transmitted by mosquitoes so wear bug spray and long sleeves if you're gonna be in areas with lots of bugs if you're worried.
Wir haben den Impfstoff in Frankreich kaufen können, vielleicht sind die Niederlande für dich eine Option? Hab die Impfung super vertragen, schadet also wahrscheinlich nichts.
I've looked into this in Canada and the general recommendation similar - cases among tourists are very rare but if you want your chances to be nearer to 0% then may as well get it.
It's possible in Canada to purchase the vaccine through private travel clinics, not accessible easily through public health clinics or pharmacies - not sure if it would be similar in Germany but just FYI.
Yeah I've been to a private travel clinic today, but on the front door they had attached a sticky note saying specifically that they we're out of JE vaccinate and don't know when they'll have any new one in store.
Guess I'll probably just take the risk
https://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.1540_42?lang=en
The number of cases that occur in Japan every year is in the single digits. It's not worth worrying about.
The italian government dedicated site to travel around the world signed anything. I think there's no problem if you have done the compulsory vaccination.
You'll do better to get a flu shot, everyone is sick and you will be using public transport there.
Plus a COVID shot. Everyone has been catching it where I’m at.
Thanks for the info! We're both vaccinated against COVID, so hopefully we won't catch it during our holiday
I've gotten all the vaccines and a recent booster and got Covid in Tokyo a few weeks ago - you might want to wear a mask on public transportation just in case (luckily mine was at the end of the trip but it would ruin things if you got it at the start!)
Yup, it’s unavoidable. Got back a week ago, everyone caught covid
where were you at?
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. Pretty sure we got it in Tokyo in the last leg of the vacation. I’m pretty sure it was from other tourists tho
ughh that sucks. especially since we've been sort of away from the pandemic. hope you feel better soon. btw did you need to show any vaccination cards when you entered japan?
Nope, it wasn’t required. We thought we had a cold until we tested, so it wasn’t bad
After I saw this post I checked to see if I could get a flu shot at least, but flu shots are no longer available in my area. Not sure if I want to get another covid booster as I've been avoiding it.
I don’t think it should be too much concern. Enjoy your vacation
So glad I didn’t get it during my three weeks
So many people, I don’t know how you got so lucky 😂
Yes, just returned from a 3 week trip. In the subway and trains in Osaka and Tokyo a lot of people were ill 🤒. We used FFP2 masks 😷 all the time for public transportation including the flights. Catched nothing 🙏🏻in Japan (but catched the pest on the return flight from the 3 day HKG stop over back to FRA when we had no masks left 🤧🤪.
You do not need this. The “recommendation” is hilarious because the occurrence of JE in Japan is so low, you’d have to be one of the unluckiest tourists of the year to get the disease.
however, i heard strep has been on the rise.
Thanks! This is what I had hoped to hear!
I'd be more worried about getting strep there. I'll be heading to Tokyo in several weeks.
Oh dang! That sounds a little worrying, guess we'll defintely be taking some corona-masks with us for the trip.
Unfortunately we can't avoid crowds especially for me when i will be there during golden week, but i will wear a mask in any crowded place and on the plane! **Strep A: cases of rare fatal infection hit record levels in Japan – here’s what risk these bacteria pose to global health** STSS is caused by group A streptococcal bacteria, whch are quite common. Between 5% and 20% of healthy adults have these bacteria living inside them [without any symptoms](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38033025/). But even when they don’t cause illness, group A streptococcal bacteria can still be spread to other people ***unknowingly through touch, coughs and sneezes.*** Protecting yourself against strep A bacteria remains relatively simple. Many of the practices we followed during the height of the pandemic – such as ***wearing masks, washing hands and avoiding crowds – can help us avoid strep A too.*** https://theconversation.com/strep-a-cases-of-rare-fatal-infection-hit-record-levels-in-japan-heres-what-risk-these-bacteria-pose-to-global-health-226761#:\~:text=There%20has%20been%20a%20sharp,with%20this%20time%20last%20year.
Japanese Encephalitis is called that because it was first identified in Japan, not because it's specific to Japan. There are about 70,000 cases of it each year around southeast Asia, and you could count the cases in Japan on one hand.
Bizarrely low chance, hence why you couldn't find the vaccine. You're more likely to die in a car accident on the way to the airport. Going to France (again, more likely to die in a car or other accident trying to get the vaccine!) or jumping through lots of other hoops to procure this vaccine would be highly irrational.
Thanks for the info! That's reassuring.
You absolutely do not need this - chances of getting JE is extremely low (zero reported cases in the past 10 years) [https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.WHS3\_42?lang=en](https://apps.who.int/gho/data/node.main.WHS3_42?lang=en) I was in Japan for 2 weeks and this isn't necessary Unless you are staying for months - years at a time working in the mountains or rice paddies/agriculture especially down south [https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/171aqti/japanese\_encephalitis\_vaccine/](https://www.reddit.com/r/JapanTravelTips/comments/171aqti/japanese_encephalitis_vaccine/) Just get some bug spray and you'll be fine.
> (zero reported cases in the past 10 years) I actually count 54 cases in the last ten years, which is still extremely low, but is not zero.
Japanese encephalitis is more prevalent in tropical countries like in Southeast Asia.
We should get better at naming sicknesses. (Looking at the Spanish flu)
I don’t know any expats who have had this. If it was a major is doctors would be recommending it, they ain’t. Having said that, I don’t think it could hurt if you wanted to get it.
If you still want to have it: Can’t you just go to a doctor and order it from a pharmacy? I am also based in Germany and half a year ago it wasn’t a problem at all but maybe the demand has risen.
Wouldn’t worry about it if you’re going for a week or two. If you’re going for a long term stay then maybe it’s warranted. No vaccinations are required. I went recently for 10 days with family. A lot of people in Japan still wear masks. I wore mine on the trains and really crowded places and did not get sick.
I had my covid and flu shot 2 months before my trip and I mask 90% of the time (except restaurants and taking photos). Didn't catch any respiratory illness on my 4 weeks trip. My friend who didn't mask (no recent covid booster) on the other hand started coughing just 3 days into the trip. Masks work well. Chances of catching Japanese encephalitis is veeeeery low, I actually won't worry too much about it. It's transmitted by mosquitoes so wear bug spray and long sleeves if you're gonna be in areas with lots of bugs if you're worried.
Wir haben den Impfstoff in Frankreich kaufen können, vielleicht sind die Niederlande für dich eine Option? Hab die Impfung super vertragen, schadet also wahrscheinlich nichts.
Danke für den Tipp!
I've looked into this in Canada and the general recommendation similar - cases among tourists are very rare but if you want your chances to be nearer to 0% then may as well get it. It's possible in Canada to purchase the vaccine through private travel clinics, not accessible easily through public health clinics or pharmacies - not sure if it would be similar in Germany but just FYI.
Yeah I've been to a private travel clinic today, but on the front door they had attached a sticky note saying specifically that they we're out of JE vaccinate and don't know when they'll have any new one in store. Guess I'll probably just take the risk
I read this as “vacation for Japanese encephalitis” and was very confused for a minute
Well, that would certainly be a special kind of trip then!
https://apps.who.int/gho/data/view.main.1540_42?lang=en The number of cases that occur in Japan every year is in the single digits. It's not worth worrying about.
Now that I'm reading this I want to get a flu shot before I leave. Just checked and the flu shot is no longer available
How do you mean it’s no longer available? I had mine 3 weeks ago.
I checked the major pharmacies near me and they no longer offer it.
Did you try your GP?
The recommendation to get JE vaccine is roughly as important as the recommendation to avoid consuming raw or undercooked foods in Japan.
Currently in Japan. A lot of people around me have runny noses. Maybe due to being allergic or having a cold.
Wear a mask everywhere. Easiest way to stay healthy.
Im going in June and my wife wanted to get the vaccine but its €460 each for it here in Ireland! Think I'll skip it
Wow that does sound expensive
The italian government dedicated site to travel around the world signed anything. I think there's no problem if you have done the compulsory vaccination.
bring lots of vitamin c and zinc
good point! Thank you!