A government subcommittee on measures against the novel coronavirus compiled its proposals on Wednesday, which include asking people to refrain from traveling to and from the areas where infections are spreading rapidly, to prevent the outbreak from expanding nationwide.
The proposal also called for the government to consider suspension of the Go To Travel tourism promotion campaign, not only for trips arriving in the areas where infection is rapidly expanding, but also for those departing from such areas.
The proposal targets areas where the infection situation is regarded as being at Stage 3, the second most serious level. Prefectural governments are asked to make decisions to take strong measures in a concentrated manner for three weeks. At a press conference, Shigeru Omi, chairman of the subcommittee, named the cities of Sapporo, Nagoya and Osaka, as well as the 23 wards of Tokyo, as areas where such measures would be necessary.
The measures stated in the proposal also included shortening of the business hours of restaurants that serve alcoholic beverages and refraining from dining at such restaurants. In areas where the medical system is under pressure, the proposal mentioned support by the Self-Defense Forces to transport patients and dispatch medical personnel on the assumption that the situation will deteriorate further in the coming weeks. In order to secure beds for patients with serious conditions, it recommended that elderly infected people with relatively mild symptoms, who are supposed to be hospitalized in principle, should instead be asked to stay at hotel accommodations for patients or at home, depending on any preexisting conditions they may have.
They also included priority testing of residents of elderly care facilities and ensuring that accommodation facilities are prepared to accept people with mild symptoms.
In response to these recommendations, Economic Revitalization Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, in charge of measures against the novel coronavirus, said at a press conference: "The three weeks from now hold the key to success. If we don't take action as soon as possible, the year-end and New Year's holidays will come when the medical services system will be very weak. We will control the infections so that we won't need to refrain from going out as happened in the spring."
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