Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura announced Tuesday the prefectural government has a plan to introduce a system by the end of the month that will use email to contact potential new coronavirus patients who were at locations where an infected person was present in the same time frame.
Under the system, users register their email addresses with the prefectural government when visiting restaurants or other facilities where large groups gather.
The Osaka government is looking to use the system to encourage those who might have been infected with the coronavirus to seek immediate advice from public health centers to curb the spread of the virus or ward off the occurrence of cluster infections.
The prefectural government will decide Friday whether to gradually pull back on its request for the temporary shutdown of local businesses to contain the spread of the virus if the criteria for its conditions -- called the Osaka model -- are satisfied by that day.
Among the criteria is that the daily number of new patients, for whom infection tracing is not clear, must be less than an average of 10 over at least one week.
As movie theaters and event facilities are expected to reopen, or restaurants in the days ahead extend business hours, the Osaka government is believed to have determined it is necessary to establish a system to swiftly identify those who might have been in contact with a person who has tested positive for the virus.
Under the so-called Osaka coronavirus contact-tracing system, QR codes will be issued to participating businesses through the government's website and be put up at these facilities or venues.
Visitors can register their email addresses with the Osaka government by scanning the code with a smartphone.
Email addresses will only be kept for a limited time.
Since visitors' names, addresses and GPS tracking information will not be obtained, the prefectural government said there will be no problems involving personal data.
The Osaka government plans to email those who visited places where even one infected person was present at about the same time.
It will ask them then to shelter at home or remain at locations where they can avoid contact with others before directing potential patients toward PCR tests, depending on their condition.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
