April 28, 2021
(Protocol Version 28)

Kumamoto University’s Correspondence to the Outbreak of the COVID-19(Protocol Version 28)
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 the way of your thinking must bedone, and you should think that you are one of these asymptomatic/pre-symptomatic coronavirus carriersand consider what each one of you should or should not do in your daily life to prevent from transmitting
the virus you might carry to the others around you. This should be considered as “the new normal.”As to students’ countermeasures during this pandemic situation, they should follow and execute what ismentioned in any announcements/notifications published by the Director/Vice-President (in the Educationaland Student Support Division) and each Faculty/Department.
[Domestic Travels/Outings among Prefectures]a.

Please avoid going to all other prefectures unless it is a necessary and/or an urgent matter. Whichexcludes a visitation to a medical institution, grocery/medical supply shopping, commuting toworkplaces, exercising outside to keep your health and fitness.

b. Please refrain from going on a trip (including going back home) to any other prefectures during May
Golden-Week Holidays.
https://www.pref.kumamoto.jp/soshiki/30/51409.html (Japanese contents)
http://www.kuma-koku.jp/support-center/page156.html?type=top (contents available in foreignlanguages)[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.)April 28, 2021
(Protocol Version 28)
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 General
Affairs 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. 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 Welfare
Quarantine 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.
[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.

April 28, 2021
(Protocol Version 28)
In case of having any symptoms including a fever, avoid visiting a general hospital, instead, phone alocal 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 consultwithTEL 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. In case of planning and organizing any events, it should be carefully planned and managed inaccordance with “Regarding Restrictions on Holding Events Based on the Basic Countermeasure
Policy, Restrictions on the Use of Facilities, etc.” published on April 23, 2021 by Office for Novel
Coronavirus Disease Control, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Japan, (Cabinet Secretariat)inorder to control and prevent the spread of the virus and put attendees’ health and safety concerns
as the first priority.
https://corona.go.jp/news/pdf/ikoukikan_taiou_20210423.pdf (available in Japanese only)
b. As the cases so far have shown, any events, which are held at any venues where it is poorly
ventilated, densely crowded, also a high risk of having unpredictable contacts with an unspecified
majority is present, have tendencies of higher risks of creating potential clusters, you should makeyour judgement on attending such events corresponding to the Kumamoto Prefectural Notification

April 28, 2021
(Protocol Version 28)
mentioned above.
c.

Please continue to pay attention to and take enough precautions when having lunch/dinner/drinks
by limiting the number of people as much as possible, having with the people you usually stay with,and taking thorough infection prevention measures. In particular, refrain from holding any
workshops, parties, or events which involve face-to-face conversations and a high possibility of close
contact among participants. When holding an event over lunch/dinner/drinks with carefulprevention measures, please refer to the “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/soshiki/30/69446.html (available in Japanese only)[Infection Prevention]
a. Take thorough infection prevention measures when outing.
b. The elders and their family members should avoid any outings that are unnecessary and unurgent*.
c.

If you live within Kumamoto-city or the jurisdiction of Ariake health center areas, please refrain fromany outings that are unnecessary and unurgent*. Especially, to Downtown Kumamoto area after 9PM.

* Which excludes a visitation to a medical institution, grocery/medical supply shopping, commuting toworkplaces, exercising outside to keep your health and fitness.
d. 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.
e. 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 Novel Coronavirus Disease Control, Cabinet Secretariat, Government of Japan,(Cabinet Secretariat):
https://corona.go.jp/ (contents available in Japanese only)
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April 28, 2021
(Protocol Version 28)
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)

General Affairs Division
Ext. 3117 & 3118