Emergency Release of the "Kounodori" Manga! The Terrifying Reality of Rubella Among Adult Men Who Haven't Received Vaccination is Sweeping the Nation

2018.10.16 published

【Alert】Rubella is spreading.

As reported in the news, this year, there is a major outbreak of "rubella" particularly among adult men in the metropolitan area.

According to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the number of patients this year has already reached about 1,000, which is more than ten times that of last year.

There is a strong public perception that rubella is a disease that primarily affects small children,

but why is it now spreading among adults...?

What exactly is rubella?

Rubella is an acute rash infection caused by the rubella virus.

It causes high fever, rash, fatigue, and swollen lymph nodes.

The infection is highly contagious, and without vaccination, one can easily catch the virus from sneezing or coughing, making it a very scary disease.

The most terrifying aspect of rubella...

The symptoms of rubella are somewhat similar to those of a cold, so it is often underestimated in adults.

However, frighteningly, if a woman contracts rubella during early pregnancy (before 20 weeks),

there is a high risk that the baby in her womb will develop "congenital rubella syndrome."

(The figure is as high as 90%...!!! If infected at five months of pregnancy, the risk is about 40%. This is an important issue even if it's not early pregnancy.)

Congenital rubella syndrome can lead to developmental delays in the brain, congenital heart defects, and impairments in vision and hearing.

Doesn’t the 90% probability sound really scary?

"What if I haven't been vaccinated and contract rubella while pregnant?"

"What if I haven't been vaccinated and spread rubella to a pregnant woman at work who hasn't disclosed her condition?"

"What if I haven't been vaccinated and spread rubella to a pregnant woman I don't know on the bus, train, or in a supermarket?"

Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine; this is a truly terrifying infectious disease.

Getting back to the topic... Why is it spreading among adult men?

The reason rubella is spreading among adult men (ages 30 to 50) this year.

It is because there was a period in Japan when vaccinations for rubella were not administered.

Individuals born on or after April 2, 1990 (currently 28 years old or 27 years old if their birthday hasn't occurred yet) had the opportunity to receive the vaccine twice at public expense,

but those born before that (currently 29 years old or 28 years old if their birthday hasn't occurred yet) have a larger number of people who have either not been vaccinated or have only received it once.

【Born between Showa 37 and Showa 54 (currently 56 to 39 years old)】

Women received group vaccinations in middle school, but men did not have the opportunity to be vaccinated (it was not mandatory), resulting in low vaccination rates.

【Born between Showa 54 and Showa 62 (currently 39 to 31 years old)】

Both boys and girls were individually vaccinated at medical institutions during middle school, so vaccination rates varied by family.

【Born between Showa 62 and Heisei 2 (currently 31 to 28 years old)】

Both genders were required to be vaccinated during early childhood, but many have only received it once, resulting in low immunity to rubella.

In other words, particularly among working-age men (the father generation) over 30, there are many people who have not received the rubella vaccine due to generational gaps.

Currently, with the rubella virus spreading, they are becoming infected in large numbers...!

Furthermore, unfortunately, rubella symptoms are very similar to those of a cold.

If someone has a fever or a cough, they might think, "It's just a cold," and not go to a hospital,

leading to a vicious cycle where the virus spreads in trains and workplaces across Japanese society...

【Must-Read】Kodansha urgently publishes a "Kounodori" rubella episode!

To convey the terrifying nature of rubella to the entire country, the major publisher Kodansha made a tweet.

Here it is.

twitter 埋め込みコンテンツ

The manga "Kounodori," starring Go Ayano, which was also a hot topic in a drama set in an obstetrics and gynecology department, features a story about a girl and her mother affected by congenital rubella syndrome.

In light of this year's widespread outbreak of rubella, it has been urgently published for free to raise awareness!

Please take a look and recommend it to your husbands, fathers, and friends!

➡ Read the manga here＊

If you haven't been vaccinated against rubella, you should!

Many people might be thinking about having a baby after getting married.

To protect the babies that will be born in the future, not only for yourself but also

ask the husbands, fathers, and siblings around you if they have received the rubella vaccine.

Even if they don't remember, they should be able to find out by asking their mothers or checking their maternal and child health handbook.

As mentioned in the "Kounodori" manga, congenital rubella syndrome is a "preventable disability."

Let’s truly consider the gravity of this statement and ensure that everyone receives the rubella vaccine (it costs about 10,000 yen per shot).

And if you are currently experiencing cold-like symptoms,

for your own health and for the sake of pregnant women who might be around you, go to the hospital immediately to get tested.

I hope that pregnant women across Japan do not contract rubella.