Shibuya youth vaccine site overwhelmed on 1st day; queues began forming overnight

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Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. inoculation / ɪˌnɒk yəˈleɪ ʃən / (n.) – the act of injecting a substance into someone’s body in order to protect him/her against a disease
    Example:

    My mom has a record of all my childhood inoculations.


  2. get off to a rocky start / gɛt ɔf tu ə ˈrɑki stɑrt / (idiom) – describing something that didn’t begin well
    Example:

    The project got off to a rocky start; several people quit within the first week.


  3. underestimate / ˌʌn dərˈɛs təˌmeɪt / (v.) – to judge the quality, amount, size, etc. of something to be lower than it actually is
    Example:

    We underestimated the number of guests and ran out of food.


  4. ample / ˈæm pəl / (adj.) – of a sufficient size, amount, etc.
    Example:

    There’s no need to hurry; we have ample time.


  5. disarray / ˌdɪs əˈreɪ / (n.) – a lack of order
    Example:

    My house was in disarray after the party.


Article

Read the text below.

A COVID-19 inoculation site for young people in Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward got off to a rocky start Aug. 27 after the capital dramatically underestimated the size of the crowd that would turn up.


Registration was supposed to begin at 11:50 a.m., but a line had formed by sunrise and every slot was filled by 7:30 a.m. According to officials, around 15 people were already waiting in line when staff arrived at the facility at 4 a.m. Some said they had been waiting overnight.


Dozens of people arrived at around 10 a.m., thinking they had ample time to claim a spot, only to find that registration had ended hours earlier and that they would have to return another day.


The confusion and disarray meant many left frustrated, empty-handed and unvaccinated.


The site was meant to offer people between the ages of 16 and 39 a way to get vaccinated without a reservation — especially those who haven’t been able to book an appointment at a local clinic or inoculation venue. (The Japan Times)


This article was provided by The Japan Times Alpha.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

  • The capital dramatically underestimated the size of the crowd that would turn up. Why do you think this happened (ex. they thought young people weren’t interested in getting vaccinated, they assumed it wouldn’t be crowded on a weekday)? What should be done to prevent it from happening again? Why? Discuss.
  • Unlike many other countries, Japan has required most people to receive a paper voucher in the mail before they can make a reservation. What do you think of this system (ex. a waste of time, necessary for record-keeping)? Why? Discuss.

Discussion B

  • The confusion and disarray meant many left frustrated, empty-handed, and unvaccinated. Do you think it’s possible for everyone who wants a vaccine to receive it within this year? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Around 15 people were already waiting in line when staff arrived at the facility around 4 a.m., and some said they’d been waiting overnight. What do you think about this? Have you ever waited overnight or lined up very early for something? Why or why not? Discuss.