May 27, 2020
(Protocol Version 17)

Kumamoto University’s Correspondence to the Outbreak of the COVID-19(Protocol Version 17)
In order to control/prevent the virus transmission, all faculty members, professors, and students ofKumamoto University (hereafter KU) are requested to take measures including the following but not limitedto;-

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 your “New Lifestyle.”
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.

When you plan any trips abroad (including personal trips,) please ensure to check and pay attention
to the most up-to-date information by accessing Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan’s website* andMinistry of Health, Labor and Welfare Quarantine Station’s website**. In addition, ensure to notify ofyour trip plan to the General Affairs Division officer (in case of a Faculty member) or the Educational
Affairs Division officers at your faculty/school (in case of a student) prior to the trip.

d. With regards to studying abroad, it should be re-considered about its necessity or to postpone. For
any studying abroad plans/schedules (both on exchange programs or personal,) a close attention
should be paid.

May 27, 2020
(Protocol Version 17)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)** http://www.forth.go.jp/topics/fragment1.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.

Any returnees and visitors from other countries are requested to self-quarantine him/herself for 14
days at one of the designated places the Quarantine Station Director specifies as well as to refrainfrom taking any public transportation.

b. Ensure to utilize the self-observation sheet in order to maintain and observe your health condition
during the 14-day quarantine period and send the sheet to KU Health Centre via FAX or e-mail when
the period is over.
[Domestic Travel (both Business and Personal)]a.

Until Sunday, May 31, 2020, refrain from taking any domestic trips especially cross-border trips tonext prefectures unless it is urgent and necessary.

b. Until Thursday, June 18, 2020, any business trips to Central Japan (Saitama Prefecture, Chiba
Prefecture, Tokyo Prefecture, and Kanagawa Prefecture) and Hokkaido require careful planning andconsidering.
[Health Maintenance]a. 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)
b. Also, if applicable, contact the Coronavirus Support Center (please see below) via Kumamoto
Consultation and Support Plaza for Foreign Residents;-Having a fatigue, a difficulty in breathing, or a high fever-

If you are someone* who is prone to serious illness and showing relatively mild cold symptoms
such as coughs and a fever* The elderly and people with primary conditions/diseases such as diabetes, heart failures,
respiratory diseases, people undergoing artificial dialysis, immunosuppressant treatments,chemotherapy, and who are pregnant.

-If you are NOT someone who is listed above and having mile cold symptoms such as a fever andcoughs (You need to contact the Center/Plaza if the mentioned symptoms continue for more thanfour days. Each individual shows symptoms in different degree; therefore, if you feel you areMay 27, 2020
(Protocol Version 17)
showing strong symptoms, please contact the Center/Plaza. This also includes personnel who is on
antipyretic.)-

If you are one of the members of a corona-virus cluster with or without any shown symptoms
Residents in Kumamoto City: Coronavirus Support Center or the Help Line for Returnees and Close
Contacts
TEL 096-364-3222 or 096-372-0705 (available to take calls for 24 hours)
FAX 096-364-3361 (from 9 AM to 7 PM)
Residents outside of Kumamoto City: Consultation Counter (Call center) for Exclusive Use ofKumamoto New Model Coronavirus Infectious Disease
TEL 096-300-5909 (available to take calls for 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.jpc.

At the Coronavirus Support Center, they will make an appointment for you with a specialist who will
examine a suspected case. When visit the specialist’s office, ensure to wear a mask and refrain fromtaking any public transportation.
Also, please contact KU Health Centre at 096-342-2164 not only prior to and after your visitation to a
specialist’s office but also the diagnosis/the examination result becomes available.

d. Take a body temperature and self-check own health condition every morning.
[Attending Events]
a. Any events organized, run, and enforced by Kumamoto University are encouraged to refrain in order
to control and prevent the spread of the virus and put attendees’ health and safety concerns as thefirst priority corresponding to the Notification published by Japanese Government Infectious
Disease Control Promotion Office on May 25, 2020.
https://corona.go.jp/news/pdf/ikoukikan_taiou_0525.pdf
b. When attending any events which are held at a venue where it is poorly ventilated, densely
crowded, also a high risk of having unpredictable contacts with an unspecified majority is present,
you should make your judgement corresponding to the Notification mentioned above, since thesevenues are considered at a high risk of making clusters.
c.

As for other events, re-consideration of its necessity, detailed planning, and precautions for virus
prevention should be taken in measure.

May 27, 2020
(Protocol Version 17)[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
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 orposted 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

May 27, 2020
(Protocol Version 17)
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