Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion: eligibility and how to apply if needed

Starting 26 September 2022, those who are examined at a health care facility and are diagnosed with COVID-19 will be identified either as eligible for notification or ineligible for notification.
People eligible for notification are listed below:

• 65 years old or older
• Pregnant
• If you must be hospitalized
• If you are at risk of developing severe symptoms, and the doctor determines that you must be given COVID-19 medication or be administered oxygen

*COVID-19 medication includes the following:
(1) Ronaprieve (Casirivimab/Imdevimab) (2) Steroid drugs (3) Xevudy (Sotrovimab) (4) Tocilizumab (5) Paxlovid (Nirmatrelvir /ritonavir) (6) Baricitinib (7) Lagevrio (Molnupiravir) (8) Veklury (Remdesivir)
*If you are unsure if you are eligible for a notification, contact the health care facility where you were examined.
*If you are eligible for a notification but were diagnosed with COVID-19 before 25 September 2022, please use the My HER-SYS system to receive a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion.

Using the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s Health Center (MHLW) Real Time Information-Sharing System on COVID-19 (HER-SYS) service, a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion can be displayed on your smart phone screen. Residents who can get a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion using this method are in principle asked to use the My HER-SYS to obtain it.
*If a paper copy is needed, take a screenshot of the phone’s screen and print out.

Residents who have taken a PCR test or antigen test at a health care facility, were diagnosed as testing positive for COVID-19, and for whom a notification was sent from the facility to a public health center.
*If you were “presumed to test positive” (not tested but clinically diagnosed as having COVID-19), or if you used Kanagawa Prefecture’s Voluntary Recuperation / Notification System on or before 25 September 2022, you will be unable to apply for a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion through “My HER-SYS,” so please check the instructions and apply here instead.

Refer to the pages on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website:
MHLW: Real Time Information-Sharing System on COVID-19 (HER-SYS)（外部サイト）
My HER-SYS Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion leaflet（PDF：812KB）
My HER-SYS User’s guide to set up a new account（PDF：2,853KB）

• For guidance about operating the My HER-SYS service, contact:
  MHLW General Inquiries Call Center: 03-5877-4805
  Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. (closed weekends and holidays)

Residents who started their recovery on 9 August 2022 or later will be sent a notice containing their “HER-SYS ID” necessary to display the Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion about one week after the recovery period start date.
The HER-SYS ID is sent to the registered phone number via text message (SMS) based on the notification sent to the Public Health Center.
In the following cases, residents may apply for ID using the “Yokohama Electronic Application / Notification System”

• If you began recovery on or prior to 8 August 2022
• If you began your recover on or after 9 August 2022 but did not receive a text message (SMS) once complete

*Apply in Japanese using the Electronic Application System here（外部サイト）.
*Users must register a new account the first time they use the Electronic Application System. (See the Japanese User’s Guide（PDF：839KB）.)
A notification containing the HER-SYS ID will be sent out about one week after the application is complete. Note that if the HER-SYS information cannot be verified, it may take longer to process the application.
(Reference) Sample text message (SMS)
“横浜市保健所” (Yokohama Public Health Center) may be shown as “横浜市〇〇区福祉保健センター” (Yokohama ( ) Ward Health and Welfare Center).
*The HER-SYS ID is either a 7- or 8-digit number.

There may be an error in the registered information when logging in using your HER-SYS ID.
In the cases below, use the Yokohama Electronic Application System to submit a correction.
[Information that can be corrected]

• Name
• Birthday (It is possible the registered birthdate may be in error if this message appears: “There is an error in the date of birth you entered. Please check with the Public Health Center for your area.”)
• Phone number

*Apply via the Electronic Application System here（外部サイト）.
*Users must register a new account the first time they use the Electronic Application System. (See the User’s Guide （PDF：839KB）here.)
*The date you were examined is listed on the notification sent by the health care facility and cannot be changed.

The Life Insurance Association lists the following documents as accepted substitutes for a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion to confirm that you contracted the new coronavirus (COVID-19). See this page（外部サイト） for details.
Ask your contracted insurance company regarding which documents they accept.

• Test results from PCR or antigen test taken at a health care facility, etc.
• Itemized statement of medical treatment (that lists among medical fees “additional charges for hospitalization due to secondary infections” (Including outpatient care and temporary handling on medical fees as well as outpatient care and temporary handling for reimbursement))
• Prescriptions or instructions for taking COVID-19 medication
• Digital correspondence (via LINE app or other SMS) results received from public health centers designated by local governments to follow up on health checks
• Copy of emails sent between the public health center and the resident testing positive
• Guidance documents sent from public health center to resident testing positive (including notes about health observation and daily life support)
• PCR or antigen test results from testing centers other than health care facilities (excluding testing kits bought over the counter)

If you are unable to use either the Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion from “My HER-SYS” or any of the substitute documents, please check over the list of where to apply and submit an application here.

Voluntary Recuperation / Notification refers to testing positive via an over-the-counter antigen test kit or a few kit distributed by Kanagawa Prefecture, notifying Kanagawa Prefecture by 25 September 2022 and beginning voluntary recovery without consulting a health care facility.
Kanagawa Prefecture will issue a Certificate of COVID-19 Infection and Recovery Period Completion for those who used opted for Voluntary Recuperation.
Therefore, Yokohama is unable to answer questions about the status of applications for Certificates of Recovery for those who used Voluntary Recuperation.
Please contact Kanagawa Prefecture via the inquiry form（外部サイト） on the prefecture web site.