Tokyo registered an unprecedented Covid-19 record on December 17 with 822 new infections – and the authorities are worried that the upcoming New Year holiday season could send the number surging even higher. The capital’s healthcare system is becoming increasingly strained, which led the government to raise its medical preparedness alert to its highest level for the first time.
At a press conference on Monday December 21, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike urged the public to stay in with their families over the holidays to prevent straining the hospitals any further. To support the capital’s crucial medical system, Koike announced that hospitals staying open between December 29 and January 3 will receive a financial aid of ¥70,000 per day for every patient with mild coronavirus symptoms and ¥300,000 per dayfor every patient in severe condition. They will be entitled to receive the aid even for patients who were admitted before December 29. In addition, testing centres will receive ¥150,000 for every four hours they’re open, whereas pharmacies will receive ¥30,000 for each day they’re open.
While the Kansai region has declared its own state of emergency for the New Year period, Tokyo is at the risk of hitting maximum capacity for its hospital beds if the trend continues, says Koike. As of December 21, 2,154 beds out of 3,000 secured for Covid-19 patients are occupied, according to the government website.
While the first vaccines are expected to be available in Japan in late February, the government has called for non-medical companies to extend their employee holidays until January 11 this year to prevent the holiday travel rush. Meanwhile, Koike has asked residents to refrain from non-essential outings until then.
Keep up with the latest Covid-19 news in Tokyo and Japan here.
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