COVID19 Updates

A certificate is available from Kobe city for those who have received the COVID19 vaccination using the vaccination coupons from Kobe City. The certificate is intended for those who are scheduled to travel to countries where documentation is required.

Application is available online here (Japanese only) ---> https://lgpos.task-asp.net/cu/281000/ea/residents/procedures/apply/393ad2c1-5e98-4540-9511-b15c99de65e0/start
Or you may go to your residing local ward office directly for face-to-face guidance.

Required documents:

Passport
Vaccine Record (Government issued formats are shown below.)
Identity document to verifying address (Eg/ My Number card/driving license/resident's card/Health Insurance card)
Optional: Vaccine ticket number indicated on the vaccine coupons (10 digits number), if available. *The Vaccine ticket number can be obtained from the vaccinating clinic. This is only optional and it is not a requirement.

The certificate will be mailed to your registered address from Kobe City.
The processing may take up to few weeks to few months.

CDC Recommends Masks in Schools, COVID-19 Hot Spots

The new guidance is in response to data that suggest fully vaccinated individuals are able to transmit the delta variant to those who are immunocompromised or not vaccinated, including children under 12 years of age.

“The American Academy of Family Physicians supports the CDC’s updated guidance for COVID-19 prevention in the U.S., including universal masking in K-12 schools,” AAFP President Ada Stewart, M.D., of Columbia, S.C., said in statement. “Vaccination is currently the leading public health strategy to end the COVID-19 pandemic. To that end, the AAFP urges everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated.”

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/k-12-guidance.html

Multilingual Hotline

National COVID19 call center (AM9:00-PM9:00): TEL 0120-565653
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_15161.html
Kobe City Multilingual Call Center (24 hours): TEL 078-322-6250
https://www.city.kobe.lg.jp/a73576/kenko/health/infection/protection/coronavirus.html
Kyoto Prefecture Multilingual Call Center (24 hours): TEL 075-414-5487
www.pref.kyoto.jp/kentai/corona/soudan.html

Ministry of Health and Labour Resource in English: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/0000164708_00079.html
Multilingual Resource List https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/backstories/1019/
Multilingual Hotline AMDA https://www.amdamedicalcenter.com/news

Stress and Mental Health

"Your Mental Health is Important!" by Dr Min Ku, PhD., TELL Kansai Summary notes click here
TELL is dedicated to providing effective support and counseling services to Japan's international community and its increasing mental health needs. TELL is a certified NPO and their service is heavily dependent on your donations. More about TELL Japan click here
If a donation is possible, please see click SUPPORT TELL Japan for credit card and other methods. Thank you for your support!

News updates in Japan

NHK News: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/
NHK Update on corona related news in English: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhworld/en/news/tags/82/

Realtime statistics

World Statistics: Johns Hopkins Dashboard
Japan Statistics: https://toyokeizai.net/sp/visual/tko/covid19/

Work Place Resource

CDC Workplace guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
CDC Cloth Face Covering: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
CDC Wearing gloves: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/gloves.html
CDC Disinfection guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html
CDC Decision Tree for workplace: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/downloads/community/workplace-decision-tree.pdf
厚生労働省Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/newpage_09671.html
日本経済団体連合会Japan Business Federation: https://www.keidanren.or.jp/policy/2020/040_guideline1.html

Schools and Teaching Settings Resource

CDC When You Can be Around Others After You Had or Likely Had COVID-19: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/end-home-isolation.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fcoronavirus%2F2019-ncov%2Fprevent-getting-sick%2Fwhen-its-safe.html
WHO School Preparedness Guidance: https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/key-messages-and-actions-for-covid-19-prevention-and-control-in-schools-march-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=baf81d52_4&gclid=CjwKCAjw2a32BRBXEiwAUcugiLPETaftuFXgv8
CDC School Preparedness Guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/checklist.html
CDC Cloth Face Covering: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html
CDC Wearing gloves: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/gloves.html
CDC Disinfection guidance: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/organizations/cleaning-disinfection.html
CDC Decision Tree for Youth programs & Camps: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/Camps-Decision-Tree.pdf
American Academy of Pediatrics Return to School Overview: https://healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/Return-to-School-During-COVID-19.aspx
American Academy of Pediatrics urges universal cloth face covers for those ages 2 and up: https://www.aappublications.org/news/2020/08/13/covid19facecoverings081320
文部科学省学校再開ガイドライン　https://www.mext.go.jp/a_menu/coronavirus/mext_00008.html
This Guideline from Japanese Ministry of Education shows preparation and check list to prepare school to prevent spread of corona virus.
兵庫県教育委員会ガイドライン　https://www.hyogo-c.ed.jp/~board-bo/corona/corona.htm
Hyogo Prefectural Board of Education

Assessing Risks of behavior

CDC: Deciding to Go Out https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/deciding-to-go-out.html

Mental Health

WHO Looking after your physical & | Mental health during COVID-19‎:
https://www.who.int/news-room/campaigns/connecting-the-world-to-combat-coronavirus/healthyathome?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI74Scza6u6QIVEqqWCh3dGgz-EAAYASAAEgK-UvD_BwE
日本赤十字新型コロナウイルス感染症対応に従事されている方のこころの健康を維持するために
http://www.jrc.or.jp/activity/saigai/news/200330_006139.html

Mass gatherings and COVID-19

WHO: Practical considerations and recommendations for religious leaders and faith-based communities in the context of COVID-19
https://www.who.int/publications-detail/practical-considerations-and-recommendations-for-religious-leaders-and-faith-based-communities-in-the-context-of-covid-19
CDC: Guidance for Communities of Faith
https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/faith-based.html

Weekly Online seminar

June 18, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
June 6, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
May 28, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
May 21, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
May 14, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
May 7, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
May 2nd, 2020 2pm-3pm Q&A session for JET Teachers Summary notes click here
April 30, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
April 23, 2020 7pm-8pm Summary notes click here
April 16, 2020 3pm-4pm
April 9, 2020 3pm-4pm
April 2, 2020 3pm-4pm

References:
CDC Testing Criteria updates https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-criteria.html
CDC management guidance update https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/clinical-guidance-management-patients.html
CDC Symptoms update https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
NIH Treatment Guidelines:  https://covid19treatmentguidelines.nih.gov/overview/management-of-covid-19/
WHO Guidelines: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
WHO Vaccine candidates in development: COVID19_vaccine candidates_WHO
WHO Testing guidance: COVID19_point of care testing_WHO

Covid19 update