Okinawa prefectural government expert committee recommends continuing call for visitors to avoid travel to Okinawa, suggests “coexistence with coronavirus”
May 5, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
On May 4, in light of the national government’s decision to extend Japan’s state of emergency regarding the coronavirus, a committee of experts formed by the Okinawa prefectural government held a meeting at the Okinawa Prefectural Medical Association hall in Haebaru to discuss the prefecture’s measures in line with the state of emergency. A roadmap draft presented by Okinawa Chubu Hospital infectious disease department’s Dr. Yoshihiro Takayama set forth guideposts for resumption of schools, businesses, and other social activities using the numbers of new patients and hospitalized patients as indicators.
The committee called on visitors, particularly from the 13 prefectures designated as “special alert areas,” to continue to avoid travel to Okinawa in order to prevent the disease from being carried into Okinawa. Some suggested the idea of carrying out PCR tests at the airport as an emergency measure. No new cases have been detected in Okinawa between May 1 and May 4.
At the expert committee meeting, members indicated the necessity that Governor Denny Tamaki continue to call on visitors to avoid travel to Okinawa through the National Governors’ Association, among other means.
Regarding the indicators for resumption of activities presented by Dr. Takayama, Okinawa prefectural government Department of Public Health and Medical Care public health and sanitation superintendent Toru Itokazu explained, “We received a recommendation that rather than try to contain [the virus], we should relax restrictions on social activities while keeping an eye on the state of infections, in a way coexisting with coronavirus.” He also said that the prefectural government must check whether the “new way of life” presented by the national government has permeated into Okinawan daily life.
(English translation by T&CT and Sandi Aritza)
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