Mask Panic
May 26th 2009 09:16
Yesterday I read some entry journal, and it referred to a mask. As you know, new type of flu( swine flu) has been spreading all over the world and so has(←is it OK?)Japan.
After the announcement of an infected patient was found in Osaka, a lot of people rushed to the drug stores to get masks. I was so lazy that I went out to get them IN THE AFTERNOON,but I couldn't get even one mask at five stores.( I went about five stores searching for them,haha..^^;)
In the entry, he mentioned recent situation and Westerners are not accustomed to seeing and wearing masks, and he also said that Westerners don't have the good image toward masks and he was wondering why they have had bad images. His understanding was that in Old American movies, cowboys and bad guys such as bank robbers covered their nose and mouth with their scarf and it reminds people of masks. Isn't it interesting? I've never thought it that way. Me? Nothing! Just it's the one to wear when you caught cold.
What image do you have towards masks?
By the way, this story reminds me of ' Toilet paper panic' which happened about thirty years ago in Japan during oil crisis.
In 1970s, the rumor ' paper will disappear from Japan' spread and at some supermarket, the staff wrote down on an advertisement of toilet paper' Papers will disappear' (←Is it OK？I meant to say’ 紙がなくなる'）, and then a lot of housewives stand in line searching for toilet papers and it became a panic and spread all over Japan.
Actually , I don't remember this panic well, but recent situation concerning masks reminds me of this situation.
I've been wondering where thousands of masks disappear. I don't think all the people are wearing them, but stock them in case of emergency. It's really annoying, isn't it?
After the announcement of an infected patient was found in Osaka, a lot of people rushed to the drug stores to get masks. I was so lazy that I went out to get them IN THE AFTERNOON,but I couldn't get even one mask at five stores.( I went about five stores searching for them,haha..^^;)
In the entry, he mentioned recent situation and Westerners are not accustomed to seeing and wearing masks, and he also said that Westerners don't have the good image toward masks and he was wondering why they have had bad images. His understanding was that in Old American movies, cowboys and bad guys such as bank robbers covered their nose and mouth with their scarf and it reminds people of masks. Isn't it interesting? I've never thought it that way. Me? Nothing! Just it's the one to wear when you caught cold.
What image do you have towards masks?
By the way, this story reminds me of ' Toilet paper panic' which happened about thirty years ago in Japan during oil crisis.
In 1970s, the rumor ' paper will disappear from Japan' spread and at some supermarket, the staff wrote down on an advertisement of toilet paper' Papers will disappear' (←Is it OK？I meant to say’ 紙がなくなる'）, and then a lot of housewives stand in line searching for toilet papers and it became a panic and spread all over Japan.
Actually , I don't remember this panic well, but recent situation concerning masks reminds me of this situation.
I've been wondering where thousands of masks disappear. I don't think all the people are wearing them, but stock them in case of emergency. It's really annoying, isn't it?
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It's true that Americans don't wear those masks much. They're something you wear if you're doing work in the yard, to keep out dust and pollen, or if you're a medical or dental professional, not if you're sick. I think we mostly have the image of wearing them when you're sick from the SARS crisis a few years ago - there were many images on television of people in Asia wearing them.
I think most people I know think it's weird, but wouldn't be scared of masks. I'd be a bit surprised, but not for long, because I know it's normal elsewhere.
Hi Renée,
Thank you correcting my writings.
I hear for Westerners, people putting on masks look weired, but it's not so strange, especially in winter .