Intensive COVID-19 Infection Prevention Measures for Hiroshima Prefecture and Hiroshima City (as of December 10, 2020)

Note: all links go to Japanese pages unless otherwise stated.

In Hiroshima Prefecture, the number of COVID-19 cases since the end of November has risen sharply mainly within Hiroshima City and infections are spreading across the prefecture.

The number of newly reported cases of COVID-19 in Hiroshima City is, as of December 9 (Wed), 21.9 people (per 100,000 people for the past week); looking at the number of new infections, we have passed Level 3 (English) and are nearing Level 4 (English). Should infections reach this level across the whole of the prefecture, we run the risk of having a huge impact on the lives, health, and livelihoods of both citizens in the prefecture and the city.

As such, we have made some decisions.

Regarding intensive infection prevention measures for the entirety of Hiroshima City, where the number of new infections have passed Level 3 (English) and are nearing Level 4 (English): as a result of discussions and coordination with the City of Hiroshima, we are considering asking the citizens of Hiroshima City and those who run businesses within the city for their cooperation in various measures, such as reducing person-to-person contact based on Article 24, Paragraph 9 of the Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response.

We have prepared a preliminary draft＜外部リンク＞ of these intensive COVID-19 infection prevention measures under consideration for enforcement as of December 12 (Sat).

Below are translated excerpts from the preliminary draft.

Period of Intensive Infection Prevention Measures

December 12, 2020 (Sat) to January 3, 2021 (Sun)

However, as the numbers of new cases are rising with unprecedented speed, we may have to implement stronger measures which take into consideration the day-to-day infection situation and reconsidering the period of time for these measures as we progress.

Prevention Measures

Basic Policy

Looking at the infection situation in Hiroshima City until now, infections stemming from restaurants/bars and dining out, as well as infections in the workplace, make up 60% of all cases. Infections occur in cases where people have removed their masks and had conversation (etc) within a distance where infection-via-droplets can occur, and then those infected in this manner go on to repeat these actions, causing infection to spread.

As such, based on the following fundamental policies:

• Only remove your mask when absolutely necessary
• If you must remove your mask, reduce contact, conversation (etc) with others as much as absolutely possible

We ask that citizens take the following measures based on Article 24, Paragraph 9 of the Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response.

Formal Requests to the Citizens of Hiroshima City

1) Follow Prevention Measures

Follow the measures outlined in 3. Formal Requests to Prefectural Citizens＜外部リンク＞ of the Novel Coronavirus Infection Prevention Measures for Hiroshima Prefecture＜外部リンク＞ (hereafter “Prevention Measures”) such as avoiding the 3Cs, wearing masks, frequent hand washing, and following coughing etiquette."

2) Reduce contact

During the intensive measures period, we hereby request that citizens reduce outings as much as possible to reduce person-to-person contact. However, this is not a restriction on shopping for the new year holiday or outings necessary for everyday life. If you must go out, remember to always wear a mask and avoid person-to-person contact as much as possible.

3) Dining and drinking; going to restaurants

Avoid dining with anyone other than the people you live with. If you do gather for dining or at a restaurant, you may gather with those other than people you live with as long as the restaurant has physical infection-via-droplets prevention measures (such as those listed below in (4)) in place. If holding a masked gathering, you must wear a mask and avoid unmasked conversation.

If dining out (whether with those you live with or those you don’t), choose Hiroshima Active Guard Partner＜外部リンク＞ or COVID-19 Infection Prevention Measures Partner＜外部リンク＞ restaurants. As well as choosing restaurants with the Hiroshima Active Guard QR Code＜外部リンク＞, cooperate with any and all infection prevention measures in place by restaurants or during social gatherings.

4) Infection-via-droplets prevention measures

Choose restaurants which employ the following measures:

• Place 3-sided physical barriers between those sitting next to and across from one another, such as acrylic panels, vinyl curtains (etc) to prevent infection-via-droplets.
• Or, space customers one meter or more apart.
• Or, enforce strict mask policies for all customers to avoid unmasked conversation

Ventilation measures (preventing infection-via-micro-droplets)

• Employ strict ventilation measures such as using ventilation fans or circulators in addition to opening windows (etc) so as not to create an enclosed space.

Strict infection prevention measures for customers

• Enforce strict infection-via-droplets prevention measures on customers.

5) Avoid New Year Holiday Travel

Regarding travel to or from regions with increased infections (areas where the prefectural government has called for avoiding unnecessary outings or areas where the number of new infections for the most recent week has been over 15 per 100,000 people), as we cannot overrule the risk of the spread of infection to those you live with, we ask that you avoid travel and discuss changing your plans to a later date.

We also ask that those living in Hiroshima City who plan to visit other cities and towns in Hiroshima Prefecture and vice-versa to avoid travel and discuss changing your plans to a later date.

6) Measures Moving Forward

The numbers of new infections across the prefecture are rising with unprecedented speed and Hiroshima City is approaching Level 4 (English). Under our Prevention Measures, should the prefecture enter Level 4, we expect that we will be forced to implement extremely strict measures on our citizens and our business owners: in addition to formally requesting prefectural citizens avoid unnecessary outings, to business owners, we will also have to formally request usage in limited capacity for facilities other than those providing daily necessities.

To avoid this, based on our Basic Policy of Infection Prevention Measures above, we will work toward reducing unmasked person-to-person contact as much as possible, and in regard to dining situations (where the risk of unmasked person-to-person contact is thought to be highest), we will be discussing the following prevention measures to be implemented as we proceed:

(a) Formal request to shorten the business hours of restaurants providing alcohol in Hiroshima City

We will conduct discussions with related organizations and create a support system for restaurants which cooperate with all requests (etc) as quickly as possible, and will begin our formal requests sometime during the week of December 14.

(b) Discuss even stronger measures

Should the infection situation see no improvement despite implementing measures in accordance to the formal requests listed in (a), we will discuss formally requesting even stronger measures such as shortened hours of operation (etc) in addition to (a) for restaurants in Hiroshima City. Depending on the infection situation, we will also discuss formally requesting strong measures which will lead to stricter activity restrictions than (a) across the entirety of the prefecture (not just Hiroshima City).