Japan Now! No.２-人類と見えない敵との終わることのない戦い－COVID-19の世界的な蔓延と日本の現状－(2020.4.19)-Endless Battle between Humanity and Invisible Enemy-－COVID-19 Global Prevalence and Current Situation in Japan

Japan Now! No.２-人類と見えない敵との終わることのない戦い－COVID-19の世界的な蔓延と日本の現状－一人の生活者の視点から－-Endless Battle between Humanity and Invisible Enemy-－COVID-19 Global Prevalence and Current Situation in Japan－From the Perspective of One Consumer (2020.4.19)

According to Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the number of people infected with the new coronavirus was 2,293,644 worldwide and 157,000 people died as of 3:00 am Japan time on the 19th. As of the end of February 2020, it seems that leaders and people in most countries in the world had never expected this to happen.

Although it is said that there are multiple countries that have not been confirmed to have been infected, the infection has spread worldwide and is continuing to spread except in some countries where the infection is approaching convergence（収束傾向）. In Japan, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website, as of 12:00 on April 18, there were 9,795 cases of infectious diseases related to this new coronavirus in Japan and 154 deaths. We pray for the souls of those who have died.

Even in Japan, the pace of increase in the number of infected people has clearly risen since late March. There are three consecutive holidays from March 20th, and it was said that the weather was good, so many people were out and crowded, and the infection spread at that time.

The biggest concern in Japan now is that the number of medical personnel and medical equipment will become serious in response to the rapid increase in the number of infected people, making it difficult to treat severely ill people with various diseases. That is, so-called medical collapse（医療崩壊）.

Medical professionals such as doctors and nurses are busy with their daily work at great risk that they may be infected or they may infect their families. We heard that there are many medical staff who have actually been infected with COVID-19 and have become sick due to their busyness.

On the other hand, medical devices in a broad sense, such as medical masks, goggles, protective clothing, and respirators（人工呼吸器）, are beginning to run short. Therefore, it is becoming difficult to adequately treat the infected person and protect medical personnel from the infection.

At the request of local governments, the general public will donate a large amount of plastic raincoats as an alternative to medical protective clothing, and start production of medical devices in a broad sense regardless of the size of the company. Many movements can be seen.

Each person is trying to do what he or she can do from his or her own standpoint. Celebrities, artists and athletes also participate in infection prevention through various activities. This kind of well-intentioned activity encourages many people and helps to cope with difficulties.

I think Japan's so-called crisis of medical collapse is somehow escaped by the well-deserved work of medical workers and the goodwill and consideration of many people, including politicians. If so-called medical collapse actually occurs, the safety and security of many people will be lost at once. Due to the collapse of medical treatment, people from fetuses（胎児）and babies to the elderly are at risk of life. This must be prevented at all costs.

Now, I think that what we can do immediately to prevent the spread of infection is to prevent ourselves from getting infected and to act with great care so as not to infect others. I think it's important to act with the assumption that I'm already infected with COVID-19 or those around me (except my family) are already infected. Therefore, it is necessary to practice the social distance of separating people from each other by more than 2 meters. In addition, frequent hand washing and disinfection（消毒）, wearing a surgical mask when going out in a crowded place, daily temperature measurement, maintenance and management of physical condition are important for preventing infection.

In Japan, an emergency declaration（緊急事態宣言） was issued to 7 prefectures on April 7. Also, on April 16th, it was expanded throughout Japan. However, even if it is called an emergency declaration, it is a request with almost no legal enforcement. Whether or not to comply with the government's request depends on the good sense and judgment of the Japanese people.

Japan is a democratic country, not a dictatorship（独裁国家）, so I think that's natural, and I think the Japanese people have the ability to act reasonably and scientifically, and to regulate themselves. I want to believe and I want to be so.

However, the supplies needed to prevent infection, such as disinfectants（消毒薬）and surgical masks, are scarce even in Japan, and the situation in which they are not available has continued for a long time since February of this year. In addition, the commuter trains, supermarkets, and shopping streets remained congested after the emergency was declared. In Japan, there is not much progress in telework and online school education. In Japan, face-to-face communication is the basis of social life.

No matter how carefully we prevent infection, the one we fight against is an invisible virus that is difficult to prevent completely. After all, the development of therapeutic drugs and vaccines is urgent. I am convinced that good results will always be achieved if the world can work together as one team toward one goal.

The Government of Japan has taken various measures, including the declaration of emergency, as measures against COVID-19. Japan has been focusing on accepting foreign tourists. Also, due to the globalization of the Japanese economy, many goods and services depend on foreign countries. I think there is certainly an aspect that it is difficult to interrupt the flow of people and things even temporarily.

However, the media have criticized that the government's measures have fallen behind. Certainly, as for measures such as distributing two pieces of so-called Abe-no-Mask (cloth mask made of gauze) to one person and cashing 100,000 yen (about 925 dollars) per Japanese, there are pros and cons（賛否両論）among the Japanese. In Japan, freedom of speech is guaranteed, and it is believed that this will lead to people's happiness and a peaceful world.

In any case, the spread of COVID-19 has adversely affected many of the Japanese people economically, and it is of utmost importance to prioritize and implement economic measures with a sense of speed.

COVID-19 may be a factor that will greatly change the current living conditions of Japan and the Japanese people, such as Japanese social, economic, cultural and school education, companies and jobs, governments and local governments. In addition, the state of the world and the way people are may change greatly. Now we endure difficulties, but we are constantly moving forward in search of ideals. May the world move in a better direction! May the people of the world be happier! And I can't wait for the day when I can freely travel in Japan and abroad.