Masking practices continue in South Korea and Japan, despite decreased regulation

Graphic by Mari Al Tayb ‘26.

By Qingyun Shi ’23

Staff Writer

On Jan. 31, 2023, South Korea dropped indoor mask mandates, a New York Times article reported. Beginning March 13, 2023, the government of Japan will further ease COVID-19 guidelines on mask-wearing, including those pertaining to public transportation and schools. According to The Japan Times, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida hopes that relaxing public health measures will benefit economic and social activities. 

The New York Times article explained that wearing a mask has become part of a daily routine in people’s lives over the past three years, especially in some East Asian countries where pandemic restrictions have lingered for much longer than in other parts of the world. Despite the fact that governments are now easing legal restrictions, the article reported that many residents in countries such as South Korea and Japan are unlikely to stop wearing masks completely any time soon. 

Naomi Tanaka, who lives and works in Japan, spoke to this issue in a recent interview with Mount Holyoke News. “Japanese people have always been wearing mask[s], even before COVID-19,” Tanaka said. “In Japanese society, wearing masks is very common; many people — including me from time to time — will put on a mask when going outside.” 

There are several reasons for people to continue wearing masks, according to the article. First, the habit can be difficult to change since masking has been the norm for the past three years. In Japan, for example, some call masks “kao pantsu,” or “face pants,” to convey that individuals would feel the same level of embarrassment when removing their masks as when removing their pants in public, The New York Times explained. For others in South Korea and Japan, masking can be a solution for social pressures around behaviors such as wearing makeup or smiling frequently. The article also explained that mask-wearing is seen as an effective measure for protecting individuals such as the elderly or those at risk of developing severe symptoms from being infected with COVID-19.

Tanaka discussed the reasons why many people in Japan still wear masks. “I think there are two main reasons why Japanese people adopted this habit. One: wearing a mask when sick is a sign of consideration for others in Japanese culture. Two: Many Japanese people are allergic to flower [spores] in the air, especially in the spring. Wearing a mask can help you avoid contact.”

As of March 13, passengers on public transportation in Japan will not be required to wear masks due to individual seating, an article by The Japan Times reported. Students and teachers will also not be required to wear masks during upcoming graduation ceremonies as long as preventative health measures are put in place, such as adequate ventilation in rooms. The government will also encourage institutions to not pressure people to remove their masks if individuals wish to continue wearing them. Masks will continue to be recommended in congested indoor areas when social distancing is impossible, The Japan Times said. 

Although both South Korea and Japan are continuing to reduce mask regulations, The New York Times reported that health authorities in both countries still encourage mask-wearing. COVID-19 infections in both countries have declined steadily in the past month, but health authorities worry that decreased regulations around masks and travel restrictions will cause another spike in cases.

Global COVID-19 Counter: US and UK have highest positivity rates; vaccination rate rises around globe

By Sophie Soloway ’23

Global Editor

As of Oct. 26, 2021, there have been 244,342,963 total COVID-19 cases across the world, as reported by the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. This has resulted in 4,960,582 COVID-19 related deaths. 6,848,740,981 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide. 

The United States leads these total positive cases with a reported 45,572,94945,450,123. The U.S. also has the highest number of recorded fatalities of all reporting countries. 

Johns Hopkins reports that the United Kingdom holds the second-highest rate of positive COVID-19 testing within the previous 28-day cycle, with 1,113,163 positive tests reported. Turkey follows the United Kingdom, with 812,780 positive cases reported within the same period. Turkey has a total of 7,879,438 cases and 69,344 total fatalities. 

CNN has an ongoing tracker on their website, which ranks nations based on their number of positive COVID-19 cases. Russia currently sits at the fifth position on that list. According to The Moscow Times, Russia has recently seen a distinct increase in positive COVID-19 cases. The country reached its record number of cases on Oct. 25, with 37,930 new cases and 1,069 deaths.  

Restrictions on outings and vaccination mandates have been imposed regionally, rather than nationally, with Russian President Vladimir Putin again advising local governments to impose legislation on Oct. 25th. 

Amid these record-setting transmission rates, The New York Times reported that 5049.9 percent of the global population has received at least one dose of the vaccine. The United Arab Emirates leads this statistic, with 98 percent of its eligible population having already received their first vaccination dose. As eligible adult vaccination rates rise, researchers across countries continue to investigate solutions for child vaccination.  

Worldwide COVID-19 Cases Continue To Rise

By Sophie Soloway ’23

Global Editor

As of Tuesday, Feb. 9, at least 2.3 million people worldwide have died from the COVID-19 pandemic. Global cases are currently rising at the fastest rate yet. 

The United States has the most cases globally at over 27 million.  India (with approximately 10.8 million total cases) and Brazil (with about 9.5 million) have the second and third highest totals, respectively. However, cases continue to fluctuate across the globe.

Cases in Montenegro have spiked in the past week, and now the country has the highest daily average cases per capita with 85 cases per 100,000 citizens. The Turks and Caicos Islands and Israel fall shortly behind with 72 and 71 cases per 100,00 citizens, respectively. To combat these high statistics, Israel is currently pursuing mass vaccination distribution, leading globally with approximately 23.4 percent of the country already fully vaccinated. 

However, this high vaccination rate has not yet reached occupied Palestine. Human Rights Watch reports that Israel has dodged Geneva Convention responsibilities to distribute medical supplies, leaving the Palestinian people with few resources to combat COVID-19. There are currently over 163,000 total cases in Palestine.

On the other end of the spectrum, countries such as Mainland China, New Zealand and Australia have continued to report some of the lowest COVID-19 infection rates, each with less than one case per 100,000 citizens.  

Cuban Government Refuses To Conduct Talks With Dissenting Artists

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia.

By Madhavi Rao ’24

Staff Writer

Cuba experienced a rare expression of dissent from the public in the 21st century on Friday, Nov. 27. About 300 artists and activists gathered outside the Cuban Ministry of Culture to protest the imprisonment of Denis Solís Gonzáles, a member of the dissenting San Isidro Movement. A few of the collected protesters who were challenging the violation of artists’ freedom of expression in the country were invited to have a dialogue with government officials. However, later in the week, the Cuban government made it clear that communication would not continue.

Gonzáles was imprisoned for his comments against a police officer who broke into his home, describing him as a “chicken in uniform,” triggering protests, according to The Washington Post. On Nov. 9, Gonzáles was detained and sentenced to eight months in a maximum security prison for the crime of “contempt,” as reported by Amnesty International. Erika Guevara-Rosas, the Americas director of Amnesty, said, “No one should be imprisoned for ‘contempt’ against a public official, a provision of the criminal code that Amnesty International and other human rights organizations have consistently called on the Cuban authorities to repeal.” 

Gonzáles’ imprisonment was met with outrage from the rest of the SIM, a collection of artists, academics, journalists and musicians who actively resist the Cuban government. Founded in 2018 by Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara, the movement was created to fight the oppressive communist government in Cuba. Following Gonzáles’ arrest, the SIM assembled together to protest, ultimately resulting in a hunger strike against the violation of their civil liberties. According to Al-Jazeera, on Thursday, Nov. 26, the SIM headquarters were raided by police, who cited COVID-19 restrictions.

“The recent protests are remarkable, considering the authoritarian government’s tight controls on dissent,” Maahi Jaiswaal ’24, an economics and politics double major who has lived in Cuba, said. “With the little that I remember about living in Cuba, I can affirm that art and dance was a major aspect of Cuba’s rich culture. It is apt that the artists behind the art are due freedom of expression in their profession, and with the way that the world is progressing, the Cuban authorities should look into their demands before the talent has to be forcibly removed,” Jaiswaal added.

The protest was attended and supported by many famous artists and performers in Cuba. 

Along with the release of Gonzáles and other jailed protesters, the crowd demanded the government respect their freedom of expression. This is in light of laws such as Decree 349, which prohibited artists from performing in public or private spaces without the approval of the Ministry of Culture, per a statement released by Amnesty International. The censorship decree essentially decides who qualifies as an artist and who doesn’t.

Initially, the government had agreed to listen to the protesters’ demands on Nov. 27, with officials agreeing to review Gonzáles’ case and hold future talks to understand the artists’ frustrations. However, at a rally on Nov. 29, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel described the protests as an “imperialist reality show,” saying that the protests were led by the United States. The culture ministry similarly defaulted on its promise, saying it would “not meet with people who have direct contact and receive financing, logistical support and propagandistic backing from the U.S. government,” according to Reuters. 

Lisett Bonilla ’22, an international relations and economics double major, said of the issue, “I believe this is a crucial time for Cuban society. Freedom of expression is essential to everyone and a human right.” She went on to describe how the situation could be improved, saying, “I urge U.S. institutions to support these artists who are opposing the grip of an authoritarian system. Cuba is also going through an economic crisis and ignoring these issues can have horrible repercussions for Cuban society overall as well as its relations with the U.S.”