This Japanese island lifted the Crown Lockdown too early and it was a warning to the world

northern Japanese island of Hokkaido has a sad lesson in the next stage of the fight against COVID-19 E ‘was fast and included an early outbreak of coronavirus with a 3-week block. But when the governor lifted restrictions, he suggested a second wave of infections even more difficult. Twenty-six days later, the island was again forced to block. to coordinate a doctor who helped the government’s response, says wishes they had done several things. “Now I repent, we have not received the first state of emergency,” Dr. Kiyoshi Nagase, president of the Hokkaido Medical Association, tells TIME. History Hokkaido is a reality check sobering for executives from around the world as lockdowns crown consider easing: Experts say the restrictions have been lifted too fast and too soon because of pressure from local businesses, coupled with a false sense of security in its infection rate in decline, “Hokkaido for example, shows that what happened in the US with individual regulators until the opening is very dangerous; you can not close the interstate traffic, of course, but you have controls to put in place, “said Kazuto Suzuki, Associate Dean for International Affairs at the University of Hokkaido. “This is what we know :. Even if you check the first wave, you can not relax” The Japanese prefecture of 5.3 million people, known for its rugged mountain beauty and long history of agriculture and fisheries has been to see the first area of ​​Japan a large outbreak crown. It ‘s very different from the main Japanese island of Honshu with its sprawling cities frantic. And its response to COVID-19 was also very different. Hokkaido leaders moved quickly and decisively, even if the national government spread other body has been criticized for moving too slowly to stop. Japan has relatively few COVID-confirmed 19 cases compared to other countries-12,400-but the numbers have more than doubled over the past two weeks, officials of the International Health alarming. Early history of Hokkaido action starts on January 31 at the annual snow festival in Sapporo on the island capital. More than 2 million people have visited the winter carnival, admire gigantic ice sculptures and eat on the Hotpot crab. Many were Chinese tourists, on holiday for the Lunar New Year. Towards the beginning of the festival, Hokkaido doctors saw their first patient crown, a woman in Wuhan, China. Then a couple of sick Chinese tourists and soon the virus has been circulating in the population. On February 28, exactly one month after the first case was reported, there were 66 cases, the highest of any prefecture in Japan and infections were accelerated, the governor has declared a state of emergency. In a press conference at the time, Nagase praised the quick response of the government and said that could be a model for the country. Schools closed, many restaurants and stores have been forced holidays, when to close them. In Japan, the government used the police or military to enforce any block, you can only ask and, in some cases BEG companies to close. This is in part because the country’s constitution, written after World War II, with the help of the Americans, has stringent safeguards for civil liberties to avoid a return to fascism. But most people have noticed. “The Hokkaido residents are very obedient, and it’s cold, that time of year, so usually people, even in the block with a hot water heater in any case,” said Yoshfumi Tokosumi, former editor of the newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun. False sense of security since mid-March, the health crisis was stabilizing new cases were in the low single digits and even zero, but increased in some days complaints from businesses. Hokkaido two main agricultural industries and tourism was devastated. Farmers observed red products because restaurants and school feeding programs stopped buying it. An estimated 50 food processing companies have gone bankrupt. I Hokkaido dairy industry is so strong was struck that the Ministry of Agriculture has launched a video campaign for a ministry like a cow dressed to encourage people to drink more milk. Similarly, tourism has been decimated by travel restrictions and the status of the emergency measures. Kutchan disappeared, a recreational area known to be almost anywhere else on Earth becomes more snow, skiers and other tourists, the mayor says Kazushi Monji. “We have virtually no new hotel reservations seen since the state of emergency was declared and the damage to small businesses was serious.” Stay up to date on the growing threat to global health, by signing up for our daily newsletter Crown. Rishiriya Minoya, 30 years of seaweed companies in Otaru, saw revenue decline of 95% over last year. Owner Kazuomi Minoya, 50, who inherited the company from his father fought to keep him with so few tourists and shoppers afloat. On the other island, bar owners, taxi drivers and restaurant owners told similar stories. In March, the governor of Hokkaido Naomichi Suzuki wrestled with whether to keep the block and endure the economic pain, or get up and threaten the health consequences. Suzuki is a popular figure, with approval almost 90%. At 39 he is the youngest governor in the country. It also has close ties to the national government, which enjoys strong support from the business community, responding to pressure him, says Suzuki, professor of international politics. “Economics Hokkaido was in a state of emergency, however, but also the governor of Hokkaido wanted to be an example to the rest of Japan, such as virus checking,” says Aya Hasegawa, a reporter for the newspaper Hokkaido Shimbun. On 18 March, Suzuki has gathered his advisors and decided it was time to loosen the restrictions. Nagase, the doctor who says he helped coordinate the government’s response, which at this time officials had how quickly it spread only limited knowledge of the virus. “Hokkaido was the first major outbreak here in the dark so that really were in operation.” Without adequate data, doctors based their recommendations on the concept that the spread of the crown as the flu. Nagase says he regrets not initially now pushing for further testing. The day after the governor announced that he would lift the state of emergency, but asked the social interaction and residents to stay at home to restrict continue if they felt uncomfortable. He also said he would Hokkaido holding closed 34 state structures, as well as many schools. He called it “The Hokkaido model” would work in preventing infection residents, while the social and economic activities still continued. Second wave is greater than the first lifting restrictions The announcement came shortly before a three-day weekend; Hokkaido residents poured onto the streets and lingered in cafes, to celebrate the completion of their week of detention. You probably entered the second wave of infections, says Nagase. Also fueling it, to see people from other parts of Japan, Hokkaido that had relaxed restrictions, and began to travel. Some were students in major cities, who returned home to Hokkaido when classes were canceled in April, says Nagase. Others were employees of large companies that typically new job rotation this time of year to start; when a state of emergency was lifted, the company sent a fresh crop of workers from Tokyo and Osaka to Hokkaido. Probably even more infections sown and soon the second outbreak was in full bloom. canceled-it by April 9, exactly three weeks after the block was, was a record number of new cases: 18 in one day. “The officials thought the people who come from abroad, but never considered that could return the internal migration of the virus,” said Hironori Sasada, professor of Japanese politics at the University of Hokkaido. On April 14, Hokkaido was forced to declare a state of emergency for the second time. The island has had 279 cases, an increase of about 80%, if the governor before the first block raised less than a month. As of Wednesday, there were 495 cases of Hokkaido. The company is preparing for the long haul. Tetsuya Fujiawara, CEO of Smile Sol, a group of restaurants pubs ten to Hokkaido, says although sales by 60%, he would prefer a strong, consistent lockdown “measures lukewarm” that only would keep tightening cycle that lifted and then reinstated as resurge infections. Nagase fears that Japan never learned as a whole from Hokkaido mistakes, though. “I’m on the edge of the Japan Medical Association and we have a strong national measures which urged the central government, but it comes back to the economy. Due to the economic situation, it is very difficult in Japan to stop” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe It announced a state of emergency on April 7 for seven prefectures, but does not include Hokkaido. On April 16th, it has extended across the nation, noting that the spread of the virus as people moved between prefectures. In early May, the country will celebrate one of the biggest holidays of the year, Golden Week, usually when people travel across the country on vacation. National officials have put people Duration and Suzuki suggested the governor of Hokkaido, has warned against non-essential travel. How involved in Nagase, the doctor reaction in Hokkaido, have learned the hard lesson he and the prefecture, he says, is that until a vaccine or medication there is no personal responsibility and understand must accept that “it really is not up next year we can lockdowns lift it. “Mayako Shibata Makiko Segawa please send tips, leads and stories from the front to [email protected].
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