February 9, 2021
(Protocol Version 24)

Kumamoto University’s Correspondence to the Outbreak of the COVID-19(Protocol Version 24)
In order to control/prevent the virus transmission, all faculty members, professors, and students ofKumamoto University (hereafter KU) are requested to take precautionary measures including the following
but not limited to;-

Cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve or anything else other than your palms when cough orsneeze-

Wash your hands properly and frequently (rub alcohol hand-sanitizer* on to your hands and betweenfingers) *in the case of its being difficult to find hand-sanitizer, use hand soap and wash hands under
running water instead

Please note that all precautions should be taken as if to prevent other infectious diseases such as common
cold and influenza.
Also, since there is the significant number of transmission cases by people, who have no symptoms
shown, has been reported, these asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic coronavirus carriers are most likely
contributing to the rapid spread of the coronavirus. Therefore, changing your way of thinking must be done,
and you should think that you are one of these asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic coronavirus carriers andconsider what each one of you should or should not do in your daily life to prevent from transmitting thevirus you might carry to the others around you. This should be considered as “the new normal.”
1. Correspondence of Faculty Members and Students[Going Abroad]a.

As advised on Overseas Safety Information published by Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, do nottravel to any of the LEVEL 3 areas/regions/countries below listed (including both personal andbusiness trips.)

b. Avoid taking non-emergency and/or unnecessary trips to any of the LEVEL 2 areas/regions/countries.
c.

If you must plan an unavoidable trip abroad with a specific reason, ensure to notify to staff of GeneralAffairs Section at your department if you are a faculty personnel or to staff of Educational Affairs at
your faculty/school if you are a student in order to take a necessary procedure prior to yourdeparture. When travelling, please ensure to check and pay attention to the most up-to-date
information by accessing Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s website* and Ministry of Health, Laborand Welfare Quarantine Station’s website**.

d. With regards to studying abroad scheduled within this academic year, although it should be reconsidered to be cancelled or to be postpone, for any outbound travel plans/schedules (both forstudying or on personal,) a close attention should be paid as MEXT shows the policy for self-

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refrainment.
e. Please visit Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s website for more information.
* http://www2.anzen.mofa.go.jp (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)** https://www.forth.go.jp/topics/fragment6.html (Ministry of Health, Labor and WelfareQuarantine Station)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/newpage_00032.html (Ministry of Health,Labor and Welfare)[Returning from Your Trip from Other Countries]a.

Prior to entering Japan, any returnees and visitors from other countries are requested to check theMinistry of Health, Labour and Welfare website for the most up-to-date information on Japaneseborder measures and follow any instruction given by the Quarantine Station (which includes
providing a certificate of negative PCR test taken within 72 hours of departure time from originatedcounty, the 14-day self-quarantine period at a specific place designated by the Quarantine Station
Director and health observation during the period, refrainment of the use of public transportation,etc.)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/newpage_00032.html (English)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/kenkou_iryou/covid19_qa_kanrenkigyou_00001.
html (Japanese)b. Ensure to utilize the self-observation sheet in order to maintain and observe your health condition
during the 14-day quarantine period (which counts from the next day of your arrival date in Japan)
and send the sheet to KU Health Centre via FAX or e-mail when the period is over.
[Domestic Travels/Outings]a.

Considering the State of Emergency declared by Kumamoto prefecture, refrain from taking any
unnecessary or non-emergency outings/domestic trips through out a day, strictly after 10 PM.

b.

In addition, please refrain from going to any areas where its level of infection is relatively higher as
much as possible.

[Health Self-Maintenance]a. Take your body temperature and self-check your condition every morning.
b. When having cold-like symptoms, take a leave of absence (utilize the self-observation sheet and makea list of all the places you have visited and all the people you have made contact with in case you areto be requested to report to the Public Health Centre)c.

In case of having any symptoms including a fever, avoid visiting a general hospital, instead, phone a

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local clinic or your family doctor first (they will give you a referral to another local medical institution
if they cannot take you as their patient.)
If you are not sure where to call, please contact "dial for exclusive use of patients with fever" at 0570096-567 to find out which medical institution can take you.

[Coronavirus Support Center or the Help Line]
In case of any symptoms such as a fever:1)

Consult with your family doctor or local medical clinic first2)

Call "dial for exclusive use of patients with fever" line only if you do not know who to consult
withTEL 0570-096-567 (available 24 hours)

Residents outside of Kumamoto City: Consultation Counter (Call center) for Exclusive Use ofKumamoto New Model Coronavirus Infectious Disease
TEL 096-300-5909 (available 24 hours)
Foreign Residents: Kumamoto Consultation and Support Plaza for Foreign Residents
TEL 096-359-4995 (everyday from 10 AM to 6 PM, excluding 2nd and 4th Sundays)
E-Mail soudan@kumamoto-if.or.jp

d. Also, please contact your department, professor, and KU Health Care Centre at 096-342-2164 not only
prior to but also after your PCR test.
[Attending Events]
a. Any events organized, run, and enforced by Kumamoto University should be carefully planned andmanaged in accordance with “Limitations and Restrictions on Holding Any Events under State ofEmergency Declared by Kumamoto Prefecture (effective from February 8th to 21st)” (hereafter,Kumamoto Prefectural Notification) in order to control and prevent the spread of the virus and put
attendees’ health and safety concerns as the first priority.
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/84760.html (available in Japanese only)b. Since any events which are held at any venues where it is poorly ventilated, densely crowded, also ahigh risk of having unpredictable contacts with an unspecified majority is present, have tendenciesof higher risks of creating potential clusters, you should make your judgement on attendancecorresponding to the Kumamoto Prefectural Notification mentioned above.
c.

As for other events, re-consideration of its necessity, detailed planning, and precautions for virus

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prevention should be taken in measure.
d. In particular, refrain from holding any workshops, parties, or events which involve face-to-faceconversations and a high possibility of close contact among participants. As for other gatherings suchas welcome/farewell parties, if enough prevention measure cannot be taken, do not plan to hold.
When holding an event over lunch/dinner/drinks with careful prevention measures, please refer tothe “Four Steps to Lower Risks at Lunch/Dinner Meetings” published by Kumamoto Prefecure.
*https://corona.go.jp/ja-easy/ (available in easy Japanese)
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/uploaded/attachment/122880.pdf (available in Japanese only)[Infection Prevention]
a. Take safety measures in order to keep social-distancing from others such as limiting the duration ofmeetings, ventilating rooms frequently, dividing and scattering members to use various venues, andhaving online meetings.
b. If face-to-face work is necessary, ensure to keep the social distance between each other to preventthe infection.
[Obtaining the Most Up-To-Date Information]
The most current information is available and should be obtained from each of the following
website;Ministry of Education: [COVID-19］Information about MEXT’s measures
https://www.mext.go.jp/en/mext_00006.html
Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare: About Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/newpage_00032.htm
Office for Pandemic Influenza and New Infection Diseases Preparedness and Response, Cabinet
Secretariat:
http://www.cas.go.jp/jp/influenza/novel_coronavirus.html (contents available in Japaneseonly)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
https://www.anzen.mofa.go.jp/ (contents available in Japanese only)
Ministry of Justice: Information Related to New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19) fromImmigration Services Agency
http://www.moj.go.jp/EN/nyuukokukanri/kouhou/m_nyuukokukanri01_00003.html
Kumamoto Prefecture: Information Related to New Coronavirus Infection (COVID-19)
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/site/covid-19/ (contents available in Japanese only)
2. Establishing the Crisis Management Headquarters for COVID-19
For the prevention and the control of the spread of virus infection/transmission, KU has established theCrisis Management Headquarters.
Any decisions to be made by the Crisis Management Headquarters will be notified via e-mails orFebruary 9, 2021
(Protocol Version 24)
posted on University Portal.
To accommodate to the constantly-changing situation, the Headquarters will monitor the following
section “3. Assumable Future Events” contents closely, make appropriate decisions to overcome each
equivalent situation, and inform all staff members and students regarding the future countermeasures;
therefore, please beware of any new information to be released.
3. Assumable Future Events① A confirmed case or a suspected case found among the University staff members and students(including their co-living family members)② A suspected case of a secondary transmission/infection originated by a University staff member ora student
4. KU’s Correspondence to the Above Events① and ② Closure of classes and/or Closure of University* This is subject to change as each situation will be observed, then an appropriate solution will beproposed

General Affairs Division
Ext. 3117 & 3118