No.99 COVID-19

COVID-19 is the virus that causes the infectious disease confirmed to have emerged in November last year and reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) on December 31, 2019. It led to an outbreak in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, and spread throughout the country in 2020.
At the end of February 2020, when this article was completed, on the 26th, the Prime Minister requested the cancellation or postponement of nationwide sports and cultural events that gather large crowds due to the significant risk of infection. Various professional sports were canceled, postponed, or held without spectators, and concerts and exhibitions were also canceled. Furthermore, on the 27th, a request was made for all elementary and junior high schools, high schools, and special support schools nationwide to temporarily close from March 2, 2020, until the spring break, and the governors and mayors, who are the operators of each school, are currently struggling to respond.
In Inagi City, due to the difficulty for families and schools to respond to sudden changes, the 2nd and 3rd will be regular school days, allowing for a preparation period before the school closure. Additionally, to support families who find it difficult to take leave for childcare, a system has been established to care for children at school.
I will continue to write in the hope that by the time this issue is distributed to everyone, the national measures will have been effective and we will have a clear outlook towards the end of the situation.

On January 29, 2020, Inagi City convened the first meeting of the COVID-19 Information Liaison Committee to share information on the outbreak situation. The day before, there was an announcement confirming the first infection case of a Japanese national in the country, prompting the city to decide on measures such as posting warning notices at various facilities, allowing staff at service counters to wear masks, and distributing emails to citizens. Since the city operates the Inagi City Fire Department and hospitals, we confirmed our response in anticipation of a potential spread of the infection.
Subsequently, in response to the amendments to the government ordinance and ministerial ordinance regarding COVID-19, a crisis management headquarters was established on January 31, 2020, and a total of eight headquarters meetings were held by the end of February 2020, responding each time according to the information provided and requests from the government and Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
COVID-19 was an unknown virus until it was isolated and confirmed, so even though it can currently be detected through testing, unfortunately, there is no cure, and treatment mainly focuses on symptomatic relief.
Regarding the current COVID-19 situation, it is unfortunate that the WHO initially underestimated the risks, leading to delays in providing appropriate information and measures. Consequently, the national response based on that information was reactive. While struggling to respond to the repatriated Japanese citizens from Wuhan, a cluster infection occurred on a foreign cruise ship, where the legal responsibilities were unclear, and we were overwhelmed with the response. These are unprecedented events that everyone has experienced, making it difficult to respond appropriately in a timely manner.
However, I believe that we should not simply criticize the efforts of those involved who are working day and night to solve the problems. It is true that both the government and local authorities have their responsibilities, but in times of national crisis like this, it is important for everyone to come together and fight.
Our country's infectious disease measures are recognized as being at a level that is inferior compared to other developed countries, and I believe that the factors contributing to this are complexly intertwined with issues such as financial resources, insurance systems, legal system deficiencies, and human rights issues, rather than being related to medical technology.
Regardless of whether Japan continues to aim for a tourism-oriented nation, it is necessary to raise the level of quarantine, infection prevention, and various infectious disease measures.
Therefore, after this incident comes to an end, I hope that a series of measures will be evaluated and lead to future improvements.