Joe Tomei here with another update from the JET program prefectural advisors Lily McDermott & Chase Sutherland. As always, a big thank you for sharing this with the list.

===== Hi everyone,

There have been some changes to the Kumamoto City and Prefecture joint “Risk Level” system, so we’d like to let everyone know what has changed. Please read on for that info and some more coronavirus-related updates. Just a warning, this is a bit of a long update so now is your chance to get a cup of your favourite warm beverage and read on. If any parts are confusing, please let us know and we will do our best to clarify. Here are the updates:

“Risk Level” system revamped with the addition of a new level Kumamoto Prefecture and Kumamoto City have decided to add one additional level to the “Risk Level” System, creating a 6-stage scale (Levels 0~5), effective yesterday (28 October). Definitions for all the other levels, the general policy directions that apply for each level, and what kind of responses could be implemented for each have also been further fleshed out in a new document released by the Prefecture. Please see the attached A3 chart for a detailed translation of all of the new levels, how they are decided and what each level might entail. This is the very first time any changes have been made to the “Risk Level” system since it was implemented at the end of March this year.

The highest level in the new system will now be the newly-minted “Level 5”, which would only apply when there are multiple large active clusters in the prefecture, giving rise to 150 or more cases in a one-week, and when hospital bed use exceeds 25% of capacity (think back to early August with the clusters in Yamaga and Nagasu).

In principle from now on, only at Level 5 will the Prefecture entertain measures such as requesting the public from refraining from travelling across prefectural lines, or requesting businesses to close or shorten their hours, etc.

As was the case previously, announcements regarding the Risk Level will be made once a week after a joint Kumamoto City/Prefecture expert committee meets and analyses case trends over the preceding week.

Read more: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/kiji_33555.html https://kumanichi.com/news/1653660/

Risk Level set to Level 2 after implementation of new system Over the one-week period from 20 October to 26 October, the number of new cases was 23, and the route of infection is unknown for 11 of them. As a result, the first Risk Level issued by the prefecture under the new system implemented yesterday is Level 2.

Here are some of the remarks made by Governor Kabashima when announcing the new Risk Level in a statement to the public yesterday (summarised in the bullet points below). Although the setting of “Level 2” may seem as though things have been relaxed in comparison to the previous Risk Level system, the Prefecture is asking the public to continue to stay alert and implement measures to prevent the spread of the virus. In terms of the nationwide infection situation, according to the national government’s subcommittee for COVID-19, the number of new cases has remained relatively flat with a slight increase, and a sustained decrease in cases has not been observed (read more: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20201028_26/). Kumamoto Prefecture continues to have high numbers of new cases even in comparison with other parts of Kyushu, so continued vigilance remains necessary. According to research by Tokyo University, face masks are effective at preventing both the diffusion and inhalation of viral particles. https://this.kiji.is/694044597160363105?c=92619697908483575

Measures to be implemented/Requests to the public by the Prefecture The Prefecture will take the following measures and makes the following requests in light of the Level 2 announcement:

Within Kumamoto City: Although no new directly cluster-connected cases have been confirmed in the past week, cases with unknown routes of infection are continuing to sporadically emerge in the same area.

(Countermeasures) ・We will continue asking high-risk establishments for their cooperation in the pro-active testing programme.

(Requests) ・Refrain from engaging in activities which contribute to the spread of infection, such as drinking into the late hours of the night in central Kumamoto City’s entertainment district. ・Choose businesses that display a sticker indicating they are sufficiently implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection. ・Kumamoto City is operating a testing program for people who work at food and drink establishments in Kumamoto City. Individual employees can also apply to be tested, so contact Kumamoto City’s test application hotline (080-7660-8092, operating from 1pm-8pm excluding weekends and holidays). In particular, please contact Kumamoto City if you frequently come into contact with high-risk individuals such as the elderly in order to protect yourself and those close to you. (https://www.city.kumamoto.jp/corona/hpKiji/pub/detail.aspx?c_id=5&id=30112&class_set_id=22&class_id=3269)

Within Aso City: With regard to the cluster at Aso Yamanami hospital (in total 9 cases so far, read more: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileOutput.ashx?c_id=3&id=32300&sub_id=166&flid=256829, https://this.kiji.is/692325899384243297?c=92619697908483575), it is thought that the impact on members of the public is limited, but it is important to pay attention to the situation.

(Countermeasures) The Prefecture’s Cluster Management Assistance Team (CMAT) as well as a support squad from the Ministry of Health Labour and Welfare have been dispatched to provide on-site specialist support and seal off the spread of infection.

(Requests) Please continue the thorough implementation of basic measures to prevent the spread of infection.

To all residents of Kumamoto Prefecture: The national subcommittee on COVID-19 has compiled 5 scenarios in which the risk of transmission is increased and is currently conducting an awareness campaign about them. Please pay attention to these and in particular, during the upcoming Halloween events, wear masks and avoid drinking late into the night.

These 5 situations are: ① social gathering which involve drinking alcohol, ② drinking with others in large numbers or over a long period of time, ③ conversations without masks, ④ living together with others in confined spaces and ⑤ moving from one place to another (e.g., the spread of infection has been traced to situations in which employees move to places such as smoking areas, break rooms/changing rooms) (https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000687179.pdf)

Original Prefectural press release in Japanese: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileOutput.ashx?c_id=3&id=32638&sub_id=57&flid=257030

Ongoing requests to residents of the Prefecture The following requests will remain in place regardless of the Risk Level.

(1) The most important requests: ① Even if you have no symptoms, please wear a mask when indoors outside of your home. ② Wash/disinfect your hands frequently. ③ If you have a fever, stay home from work and call a doctor.

(2) Basic countermeasures ・Please continue implementing the new lifestyle measures (新しい生活様式) in your day-to-day lives (https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/en.newlifestyle.pdf). ・Please thoroughly implement measures to reduce the spread of infection such as maintaining physical distance between yourself and others, hand washing and mask wearing. ・Implement measures to avoid infection in the household such as showering/washing your hands after returning home, staying in a different room from other members of the same household if you have a fever or other symptoms. ・Download the contract tracing app “COCOA” installed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

(3) When leaving the home ・Avoid outings to places where the three “3 Cs” are present or to regions where the virus is spreading. ・Avoid leaving the home if you have a fever or cold symptoms and in particular do not have meals with others in groups. ・If you live with individuals who are elderly or have underlying medical conditions please pay particular care to infection preventing countermeasures when outside the home.

(4) On dining out/shopping ・Do not visit shops/restaurants that fail to implement measures to prevent the spread of infection/do not display a sticker.

Original Prefectural press release in Japanese: https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/common/UploadFileOutput.ashx?c_id=3&id=32638&sub_id=57&flid=257030

So how do I find a place to go eat in Kumamoto City? Kumamoto City has launched a website to help people search for restaurants/cafes etc that are implementing measures to prevent the spread of infection (includes pictures of the types of measures that are being taken). Check it out! ⇒ https://anshin-kuma.com/

Restaurants participating in the “Go To Eat Campaign” are also required to be implementing some kind of countermeasures against COVID-19. You can look up participating restaurants on websites such as Tabelog, Hot Pepper, Gurunavi etc. https://tabelog.com/go-to-eat/ https://r.gnavi.co.jp/plan/campaign/gotoeat/ https://www.hotpepper.jp/campaign/gotoeat/