Prof Kitamura: an expert you can trust?

I previously wrote about various Japanese experts who mysteriously (and likely profitably) changed their minds about mask effectiveness. But for over 2.5 years, Japanese TV viewers have had the pleasure of being informed by one expert who has been relatively consistent: Prof Yoshihiro Kitamura of Nippon Medical School.

Prof Kitamura earned the nickname “Pants” Kitamura on Japanese Covid Twitter thanks to his advice about preventing infections while dining.

When you unmask, don’t talk. Talk after masking up. Make wearing masks as commonsense as wearing underpants.

In fact, his actual words were even worse.

Prof Yoshihiro Kitamura on Covid measures: “Masks are underpants. Don’t take them off in front of people”.

Who takes advice to mask while dining seriously? Well, the governor of Osaka certainly did.

So how effective are masks according to Prof Kitamura?

“You can think of masks as being about as effective as vaccines.”

Before you try to think of a witty retort about vaccine effectiveness, don’t bother. He’s already beaten you to it.

“In particular, younger people who haven’t had 3rd doses have absolutely no immunity.”

In other words, the first two doses didn’t do much for very long. Prof Kitamura should know that the third dose doesn’t do much for very long either.

Vaccine effectiveness of 3 doses of mRNA-1273…against infection with SARS-CoV-2 variants by time since vaccination.

But unlike many “experts” who seem to want the pandemic and its accompanying theatrics to continue indefinitely, in 2020 Prof Kitamura gave a clear time limit: 100 years.

He may not be trustworthy, but at least he’s consistent. Consistently mental.