いわき湯本温泉 旅館こいと｜源泉掛け流しの温泉が自慢の宿

First of all, I would like to express my deepest respect and gratitude to those of you who have been working hard on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19 including doctors, nurses, and hospital staff, clinical laboratory technologists as well as workers at public health centres countering infectious diseases.

Just over one week has passed since the state of emergency based on the Act on Special Measures for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases Preparedness and Response was lifted on 14 May. As for the state of infections in the prefecture, the spread of infections has been suppressed with no new cases confirmed since 9 May. This is thanks to the cooperation of our residents and business operators with our requests to take actions such as refraining from going out. I would like to extend my gratitude again for your cooperation. On the other hand, we anticipate the battle against COVID-19 to be prolonged and new clusters of infection may very well occur. This means that it is difficult to predict how things will change going forward. In order to prevent the spread of infections, I would like to ask everyone in the prefecture to take the following three actions.

First, I would like to talk about establishing a “New Lifestyle” and other measures. I ask you to thoroughly adopt a “New Lifestyle” approach where you need to continue to practice basic preventative measures such as continuing to avoid the “Three Cs”- “Closed spaces with poor ventilation”, “Crowded places with many people nearby”, “Close-contact settings such as close-range conversations” as well as wearing a mask, practicing hand hygiene including washing hands and observing social distancing. I ask business operators to promote efforts for reducing person-to-person contact during commuting hours including having staggering work schedules and encouraging workers to commute via bicycle. In consideration of the forthcoming prolonged response, I also ask business operators to introduce and utilize measures such as working from home, teleworking, and teleconferencing in place of traveling for business. I also ask you again to refrain from traveling between and across prefectures for nonurgent and nonessential reasons as much as possible, especially to avoid traveling across “Prefectures under Specific Cautions” (special alert prefectures). In addition, please avoid going to places where clusters of infections have occurred and where the “Three Cs” overlap.

Second, I would like to touch upon the restriction on the use of facilities. For business operators and industry groups whose limitation of the use of facilities has been lifted and educational institutions for which the closure request will be lifted on 24 May, I ask you to continue to take basic preventative measures such as having hand sanitizer available, asking people to wear a mask and having appropriate entry restrictions and guidance in place, and also to avoid the “Three Cs” completely, while having proper indoor ventilation and observation of social distancing.

Third, I would like to talk about the request to refrain from holding events. I ask orgainsers planning to hold large-scale or nationwide events which exceed the predetermined scope to respond prudently by canceling or delaying those events in case it is difficult to take proper preventative measures. You can hold events other than those mentioned above, but please take proper preventative measures.

Lastly, it is likely that these measures above will need to be continued for an extended period of time in the battle against COVID-19. Please help to reduce the burden on our healthcare facilities by taking on measures which protect yourself, your loved ones, and our society. I hope each and every one of you change your daily habits in order to establish the “New Lifestyle”. Please do not level discrimination and prejudice against people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and those related to them as well as healthcare related workers who have been working hard to prevent the spread of infections. I would like to ask for your continued understanding and cooperation with consideration to others, your patience, hard work and ingenuity in coming together as one to support us in overcoming this difficult situation.