August 3, 2022
Request to Hyogo Citizens for Cooperation:
To Overcome the Rapid Infection Surge
In order to prevent hospitals from being overwhelmed, we are asking
COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms to recuperate at home, and weare providing care according to their condition. However, the number ofpatients recuperating at home is on the rise, exceeding 70,000 within
Hyogo Prefecture.
As the number of patients is expected to rise even further, we ask
Hyogo citizens to follow the instructions below in order to build a system
where everyone can receive adequate treatment without worry, allowing
more symptomatic patients to have access to necessary medicalservices.
Hyogo Prefectural Government

If you test positive on a self-test, register with theSelf-Recuperation Registration Center.
Currently, as the number of new cases rapidly increases, many patients are visiting
designated medical institutions for testing and treatment.
To ensure that patients with more severe symptoms or higher risks can have access toadequate medical services, Hyogo Prefecture distributes the “antigen test kit” to those withmild symptoms and lower risks of symptom exacerbation (in principle, those under 60 withno underlying conditions) upon request so that they can conduct a self-test before visiting
medical institutions.
If you test positive on a self-test, you are requested to recuperate at home after
registering with the Self-Recuperation Registration Center established by Hyogo Prefecture.
Upon request, the Center will support issuance of self-recuperation certificates.
For more information (written in Japanese) on the distribution of the antigen test kit andregistration for self-recuperation, visit
https://web.pref.hyogo.lg.jp/kf16/corona/kithaihujisyuryouyou.html

Be prepared by stockpiling food and medicine inadvance.
Please check and prepare what you need in advance so that you will not run out of food,daily necessities, and medicine for the 10-day period of recuperation when you get infected.

Refrain from visiting medical facilities just to confirm
that you are negative.
Please refrain from visiting medical institutions just to get tested (e.g., to confirm thatyou are negative when you do not have any symptoms), as this will cause an overburden
on the healthcare system. If you wish to get tested but do not have symptoms, please takethe free test provided by Hyogo Prefecture instead.
If you have symptoms and are not sure whether you should see a doctor, or if you areconcerned about whether you have been infected, please contact consultation centers suchas the Health Consultation Call Center. If, after consultation, it is determined that you needto see a doctor, please call and visit a designated medical institution.
Hyogo Prefecture distributes the “antigen test kit” to those with mild symptoms uponrequest. If you test positive on a self-test, please register with the Self-Recuperation
Registration Center.

Help reduce the burden on the authorities regarding theissuance of certificates.
Medical institutions and public health centers mainly handle patients with moderate andsevere symptoms and those at high risk of symptom exacerbation. Due to the rapid infection
spread, it has taken some time to issue recuperation certificates at public health centers andother institutions.
For the time being, during the rapid infection surge, please wait before requesting publichealth centers to issue recuperation certificates, etc. for the purpose of receiving medical
insurance benefits. Please also refrain from requesting negative test result certificates forresuming work. Electronic recuperation certificates can be issued through the “My HER-SYS”
system run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, so please consider this option incase of urgency.
COVID-19 patients do not need to submit any documents indicating negative test result
to resume work after the treatment is completed, because their hospitalization orrecuperation at an accommodation facility or home will end after medical/healthcare
professionals confirm their recovery. Therefore, we ask that employers not to require theiremployees to submit any certificates when they resume work or have been absent fromwork.