I wasn't vaccinated even once against the COVID-19 during the entire period of the pandemic. The reason is more out of laziness than out of health concern. Unlike the rest of the world, there is no need for a vaccination certificate or anything of the sort to go into restaurants or anywhere in Japan. In that respect, Japan might look more lax than other countries, despite the fact that most people obediently wear masks (I’m sure it has more to do with the fact that wearing a face mask during winter has always been common practice here). From what I’ve gathered, the death rate within 4 days of covid vaccination is on average about one in fifty thousand. To give an example, in Kanagawa Prefecture with a population of slightly less than ten million, there were reportedly about 100 deaths within 4 days of vaccination, a hundred people in five million. While it's a pretty sobering figure, scientists would argue that the death toll from the Covid would have been way much higher if no vaccination measures had been implemented, while possibly adding that it's a statistically negligible number.  But it has me wondering how the bereaved families would have felt after their beloved one passed away. According to the logic of the experts, they were sacrificed for the common good of all. For me, it's a good thing that vaccination is not mandatory in Japan. I’ve been suffering from high blood pressure my whole life, and if I get vaccinated, there is a good chance that I fall victim to the common good of society.

 Back to normalcy

 I think we can safely say that the pandemic is all but over here in Japan. Most things have gone back to business as usual. Every izakaya is open until midnight. Foreign tourists are coming back en masse. It’s almost like nothing has happened. Personally, I contracted the coronavirus this May. Although I didn’t see the doctor nor did I test myself with the test kit as I was too lazy to even read the instructions that came with it (the procedure seemed like a pain), I was convinced it was the COVID because the experience was nothing like any colds or flues I had had before. It felt like my entire respiratory system was covered with a glue-like substance which felt very unnatural and artificial. That artificial feeling I had was what convinced me that the COVID was the culprit. As rough as it was when my fever was high, I got better in just about a week and in hindsight it was no big deal. Before coming down with the virus, I had stopped wearing a mask. The government’s mandate to wear a mask in public places had been lifted in March. After years of having to wear one, it was a really nice, uplifting feeling to go around unmasked. But my decision might have been too hasty. Even now, about half of train passengers are wearing their masks, including myself.  Maybe we’re not completely off the hook yet.  I guess everyone has a story to tell after going through the pandemic, and that would be rather different from person to person. I feel like I didn’t learn anything from the experience. It only strengthened my feeling of helplessness in the face of something we have no control over, but it also gave me the time to ponder the relationship between society and individuals.