What Can We Learn from Japan's Efforts against COVID-2019?

Since December 2019, an outbreak of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan, is one of serious issues for the world.

In Japan, a total number of infected people is increasing despite the government tries to manage and control the situation. It seems that government measures are somewhat inconsistent and don't obtain enough public trust.

Under these circumstances, what can we learn from Japan's efforts?

As a previous study implies closing schools seems effective on an outbreak of infectious diseases [1]. Therefore, if the rate of spread of infection in Japan slows, it suggests that a measurement to close schools would be effective in the case of the COVID-2019.

Furthermore, countries such as Japan which do not an organisation like the CDC in the United States, the authorities might have enough information and policy proposals, since their task is to enforce various measures and their full potential should be exercised satisfactorily.

In order to respond to the situation across ministries and agencies, it is important to clarify the chain of command and to organise cross-ministerial teams by theme at the operational level.

These issues are, of course, fundamental and simple. However, they are significant lessons and from which we have to learn.

[1]Chowell G, Echevarría-Zuno S, Viboud C, Simonsen L, Tamerius J, et al. (2011) Characterizing the Epidemiology of the 2009 Influenza A/H1N1 Pandemic in Mexico. PLOS Medicine 8(5): e1000436. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000436.

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「日本の新型コロナウイルス対策」はわれわれに何を教えるか

新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大は、現在の世界にとって喫緊の課題の一つであり、日本においても感染の拡大が続いている。この時に際し、現在日本で行われている対策がわれわれに何を教えるかを検討することは重要である。