SAPPORO -- In response to the spread of the new coronavirus, the Hokkaido Board of Education has requested all municipal boards of education in Hokkaido to temporarily close elementary and junior high schools there starting Thursday.
Municipal boards of education will have to consider whether to close their schools. The board of education in the town of Nanae, where a town assembly member was infected with the virus, has decided to close the municipal schools until March 8. The board of education in the town of Kikonai has also decided to close the municipal schools until March 4.
There are about 1,600 municipal elementary and junior high schools in Hokkaido, but it would be surprising if all of the municipal schools closed.
As of Tuesday, 34 Hokkaido residents had tested positive for the virus, including two elementary school students in the town of Nakafurano and a teacher from the city of Ebetsu.
At a meeting of the prefectural government's task force on the virus on Tuesday night, Gov. Naomichi Suzuki addressed the Hokkaido Board of Education, saying: "It is an unprecedented situation. Parents are voicing their concerns. I want you to think of ways to prevent the virus from spreading further, including closing schools."
Tokyo advances spring breaks
The Tokyo metropolitan government compiled a set of measures at a meeting on Wednesday to deal with the spread of the new coronavirus with about 200 metropolitan schools, including high schools and unified junior high and high schools. These steps include allowing schools to begin their spring break ahead of schedule after final exams.
To prevent students from going to school in crowded trains, schools will begin later in the day and allow students to have "delayed commuting."
Students, teachers and school staff are required to check body temperatures every day. If a person is found to be infected with the virus, the school will be closed for about 14 days. The metropolitan board of education plans to ask the municipal boards of educations in Tokyo to carry out similar measures at municipal elementary, junior high and other schools.
In addition, the metropolitan government is considering installing infrared thermometers near the ticket gates of metropolitan subway stations to allow passengers to check their own body temperatures.
The metropolitan government designated the three weeks to March 15 as an "intensive period" and will close the observation deck -- a popular tourist spot -- of the main building of the metropolitan government in Shinjuku Ward from Thursday to March 15. The metropolitan government will also stop allowing individuals to use metropolitan sports facilities.
At the Wednesday meeting, Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike said: "This coming week or two will be a crucial period to determine whether the rapid spread of the infection will end. It will be a critical time to protect the health of residents and the economy in Tokyo."
The metropolitan government also decided to expand the scope of the "telecommuting" program, which currently applies to about 10,000 metropolitan government employees at the main office, from the current two days a week to four.
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