#14,884
Yesterday, in MOH Warns Japan Entering `New Phase' Of COVID-19 Spread, Japan's Health Minister Katsunobu Kato indicated that community transmission of the virus was increasing, and that new guidelines would be issued today (Monday).
Their first concern, with this being flu season, is that everyone with a cold or the flu or the `worried well' will inundate hospital Emergency departments in fear that they have the novel coronavirus. This is something we saw during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic (see Pandemics And The `Worried Well’).In response the MOH published guidelines today on when people with mild flu-like symptoms should consult their doctors. The advice - for now - is in a PDF File, and so translation is difficult.
Luckily, the Japan Times has an excellent (English Language) summary of the guidelines at the link below:
Japan issues guidelines to prevent rush on hospitals as COVID-19 cases surge
Since the vast majority of people in Japan who experience cold and flu-like symptoms right now will have something other than the novel coronavirus, people are urged to stay home if they have symptoms and monitor their temperature every day.
From the Japan Times summary:
Specifically, the guidelines advise that people contact a consultation if they have a fever 37.5 C (99.5 F) or above for four days or more, experience difficulty breathing or feel severe drowsiness. Medical staff at the center will then advise which hospitals a caller should visit for treatment.
If a person is elderly or has certain pre-existing conditions like diabetes, heart problems or respiratory diseases — or undergoes dialysis, takes an immunosuppressive or an anticancer drug — they should call the center if symptoms continue for two days or more.Today the the Imperial Household Agency announced that Emperor Naruhito’s birthday celebration - scheduled for next Sunday - has been canceled. Some other public events have been canceled, and yesterday the elderly and those with pre-existing conditions were urged to avoid crowded areas.
Japan's `new phase' appears to be a practical acceptance of the inevitable.That COVID-19 is probably already well entrenched in the community, and they are now moving from containment to mitigation.
