Eight more prefectures to seek COVID-19 pre-emergency

Eight more prefectures are slated to ask the central government to place them in the COVID-19 pre-emergency stage to deal with the ongoing spread of the novel coronavirus, it was learned Thursday.

The central government decided Wednesday to place Tokyo and 12 other prefectures in the pre-emergency stage from Friday until Feb. 13. Okinawa, Yamaguchi and Hiroshima prefectures are already on the pre-emergency list.

Of the eight, Hokkaido, Shizuoka, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo are expected to make the request Friday, and the prefectures of Fukuoka, Saga and Oita on Monday.

Following the prefectures’ requests, the central government is expected to consult with experts and then formally decide at a meeting of its coronavirus response headquarters next week to add them to the list of prefectures in the pre-emergency stage.

On Thursday, Osaka Gov. Hirofumi Yoshimura told reporters that his prefecture and its two neighbors, Kyoto and Hyogo, will jointly ask for the pre-emergency designation.

Yoshimura noted that Osaka’s occupancy rate for COVID-19 hospital beds has exceeded 35%, the threshold regarded by the prefecture to seek the pre-emergency status.

Hokkaido prefectural officials said that pre-emergency measures will be taken throughout the prefecture.

“We’re concerned about the impact on the medical care system from the rapid spread of infections,” Shizuoka Gov. Heita Kawakatsu said at a news conference.

Fukuoka Gov. Seitaro Hattori indicated an intention to apply for the pre-emergency designation Monday, together with Saga and Oita.

The pre-emergency designation allows prefectural governors to ask local eating and drinking establishments to shorten operating hours. The governors can also ask them not to serve alcohol.