December 15, 2022
To the people of Ehime,Announcement Regarding a Medical Shortage Alert
Due to the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Ehime Prefecture raised our alert level to a “Special Alert Period” on
December 5, enhancing the current healthcare system and testing
facilities and calling on everyone to practice preventive measures toavoid a potential public health crisis.
However, the number of cases in Ehime has since surged past thenational average due to the onslaught of the eighth wave, with more than
3,000 cases confirmed on Monday, December 12.
Furthermore, there are no signs that the medical burden will be lessened
any time soon, as the bed occupancy rate has remained at around 50%
since late November and may be on the rise, and the number of inpatients
aged 70 and over, who make up more than 80% of hospitalized individuals,
continues to approach the level it was during the seventh wave. There isalso growing concern that the infection will spread further over New
Years due to the simultaneous outbreak of seasonal influenza this winter,increasing the strain on medical institutions even more.
For this reason, we have decided to release an announcement today
warning everyone about a medical shortage. The following initiatives will
be taken to prevent a potential public health crisis:○ An enhancement of the Ehime Positive Results Registry is underconsideration.
○ Outpatient care for those with symptoms during the holiday season
will be increased.
○ Free testing centers will be expanded upon and available for an
extended period of time.
 Free testing for individuals returning to the prefecture will beavailable from December 24, 2022 to January 12, 2023.
 Free testing for asymptomatic individuals will be extended until
the end of January 2023.
○ The number of facilities that are required to routinely test staff
members will be increased.
 Facilities

specializingincare

forpeople

withdisabilities,

elementary schools, nursery schools, and kindergartens will all beincluded in addition to senior care facilities.

We ask everyone to cooperate with the following:
Call to Action○ Most individuals of working age who do not have underlying medical
conditions recover well after getting COVID-19. We ask for yourcooperation in prioritizing access to healthcare for older adults andsmall children.
 Keeponhandgovernment-approved

self-testkits,

over-the-counter medications, and three days’ supply of food andwater.
 Use a self-test kit if you show symptoms and submit your results tothe Ehime Positive Results Registry if you test positive.
 If your symptoms worsen during self-isolation, please call the24-hour Ehime Self-Treatment Hotline.
○ Based on data from last year, only 10% of medical institutions could
provide healthcare on Sundays, and that number decreases by 50%
during the holiday season. We ask for your cooperation in prioritizing
access to healthcare for older adults and small children, especiallyon Sundays and over New Years.
 Refer to the guidelines outlined by the four academic associations(such as The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases) when
visiting medical institutions and/or calling an ambulance so as notto increase the medical burden.
 If your symptoms are mild, please go see a doctor on a weekday or
during the day.
○ Free testing will be expanded to individuals returning to theprefecture from December 24, 2022 to January 12, 2023. Tests willbeavailable

atMatsuyama

Airport,JRMatsuyama

Station,Matsuyama Sightseeing Port, and other major transportation hubs.
The Ehime Prefecture official website will have a list of testing
locations that will be open during the holidays.
 Be proactive in getting tested during the holiday season.
 Be especially careful if you plan to meet with older relatives or dinewith others.
○ Please pay particular attention to the following basic preventive
measures: Ventilate regularly, even when heating is in use.
 If you show symptoms, refrain from going out, going to work, orattending school.

 Be aware of seasonal influenza. (Basic prevention measures for
COVID-19 are also effective for the flu.) Dining Restrictions
 Regardless of the number of people are size of the restaurant,
make sure to practice preventive measures, avoid long hours,
andbehaveappropriately.

Checkeveryone’s

physicalconditions and ensure proper ventilation.
○ Get the Omicron vaccine as soon as possible.
 The New Year holidays are an important time for people to returnto their hometowns and spend time with family, as well as prepare
for school exams. Regardless of age, eligible individuals should aim
to get vaccinated by the end of this year at the latest.
 Vaccine effectiveness declines over time. Please get vaccinatedeven if you have tested positive in the past.
Lastly, stories about living in the pandemic submitted by local residents
are being published on the Ehime Prefecture official website. These areaccounts of their symptoms, how to get treated, and using the Ehime
Positive Results Registry. Please give them a read as they could be
helpful when you are recuperating at home.
We would like to ask everyone to cooperate in seeking medical careappropriate to your age and symptoms and practicing basic preventive
measures to prevent a potential public health crisis.
Tokihiro NAKAMURA
Governor of Ehime Prefecture