Updates relating to the corona-virus

A lot of people are concerned about the corona virus in Japan, and we will provide information on what you and your family can do to avoid contracting it. An increasing number of people have been staying at home after work or on weekends, and certain cultural events or festivities are postponed. But these are just precautionary actions taken by individuals and groups to lessen the spread of the virus. The media has been constantly reporting cases relating to the corona virus and fueling people’s anxiety. However, the Japanese government has been doing its best to contain the problem. It is not as terrible as most people perceive it to be. And with certain precautions, you can lower the possibilities of getting infected.

Here are some tips to consider:

• if possible, wear a mask when you go out
• if you don’t have a mask, sneeze or cough into your shirt sleeve or handkerchief
• avoid crowded areas whenever possible
• avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with your hands when you are outside
• wash your hands whenever you get home
• a lot of commercial buildings have hand sanitizers that you can use

As for the masks, they are getting harder to come by at drug stores and supermarkets, as demand is so high. At the time of writing this article, we weren’t able to come across any at our local retailers. However, a friend has suggested dropping by your local drugstore at opening hours to see if they have fresh shipments.

Symptoms of the corona virus

The corona virus has an average incubation period of 5.2 days. Initial symptoms can be fatigue, fever, headache, sore throat, muscle pain. Eventually, the fever will persist, and you will experience coughing or have a strong sense of fatigue. However, caution should be used as these symptoms are similar to common colds or influenza and tend to be overlooked if proper medical attention isn’t sought.
Whenever you feel you have any of the following symptoms, it is possible that you might have contacted the virus.

• cold-like symptoms or fever with body temp of at least 37.5C continuing for at least 4 days
• strong sense of fatigue or dyspnea

If you feel you might be affected, call your local health welfare center, whose hotline we will list below. If you have any friends or family members who are at least 60 years of age or have any form of underlying disease that exhibit any of the above symptoms for at least 2 days, we suggest you seek counselling.

Seeking medical attention

In case you are concerned that you might have contracted the virus, contact the health and welfare centers in your local city. We have listed the major cities in the Chiba prefectural area.

• Ichikawa health welfare center  047-377-1103 ( 24H on weekdays, and 5pm thru 9am on weekends and holidays. )
  * for 9am thru 5pm on weekends and holidays, contact the prefectural office at 043-223-2989
• Matsudo health welfare center  047-361-2140 ( 24H on weekdays, and 5pm thru 9am on weekends and holidays. )
  * for 9am thru 5pm on weekends and holidays, contact the prefectural office at 043-223-2989
• Noda health welfare center  047-124-8155 ( 24H on weekdays, and 5pm thru 9am on weekends and holidays. )
  * for 9am thru 5pm on weekends and holidays, contact the prefectural office at 043-223-2989
• Chiba city health welfare center  043-238-9966 ( 24H / 7 days a week )
• Funabashi health welfare center  047-409-3127 ( 24H / 7 days a week )
• Kashiwa health welfare center  047-167-6777 ( 24H / 7 days a week )

For Tokyo residents, see the list below.

• Adachi ward public health center  03-3880-5747 ( 8:30 – 17:15 on weekdays )
• Arakawa ward public health center  03-3802-4243 ( 8:30 – 17:15 on weekdays )
• Itabashi ward public health center  03-3579-2321 ( 8:30 – 17:00 on weekdays )
• Edogawa ward public health center  03-5661-1124 ( 9:00 – 17:00 on weekdays )
• Katsushika ward public health center  03-3602-1376 ( 8:30 – 17:15 on weekdays )
• Kita ward public health center  03-3919-4500 ( 9:00 – 17:00 on weekdays )
• Koto ward public health center  03-3647-5879 ( 8:30 – 17:15 on weekdays )

* For weekends and holidays, and after hours on weekdays, contact 03-5320-4592. 

If you do not see your city’s hotline listed, contact your city hall’s health and welfare department and they will gladly assist you. Do not contact the hotline listed above if you suspect you have the flu or any other syptoms other than the coronavirus. For other cases see the link below:

https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/common/pdf/guide_eng.pdf

Your local health or welfare center will advise you on where to seek a diagnosis and proper medical treatment. In case you are diagnosed with the corona virus, they will instruct you on what to do.

So far, only 3 deaths have been reported in Japan. But most deaths are attributed to elderly patients or people with underlying conditions. The worldwide death rate is estimated to be 2.1% but not as deadly as the SARS or MERS pandemic. Although there are no known cures or vaccines to date, there are many reports of people who have recovered from the corona virus. Other than the precautions mentioned above, it is also important to improve your immunity levels by getting enough rest and staying on a balanced diet. It will also speed up recovery in case you contact the virus.