Message from the Mayor on Kanagawa Pref. request for reduced business hours (2020.12.3)

Today, in accordance with Article 24, paragraph 9 of the Special Measures Law, Kanagawa Prefecture announced it will ask restaurants that serve alcohol and karaoke establishments in Yokohama and Kawasaki to reduce their business hours from December 7 (Monday), to December 17 (Thursday).

Yokohama has a neighbor in Tokyo, which has already requested businesses reduce their hours, and where 430 thousand of our residents commute for work and school. Additionally, with 94 new cases identified in Yokohama today, and looking at last week’s average of 86 per day, we are continuing to see a high number of new cases.

Yokohama will continue to work closely with Kanagawa Prefecture and Kawasaki, and commit our full efforts to prevent the spread of infection to ensure the lives and livelihoods of our residents are protected.

Currently, there are 450 people in the hospital. Of those, 363 people, 81% of the total, show mild or no symptoms, 65 people have moderate symptoms and comprise 14% of cases, and 22 people are experiencing severe symptoms, or 5% of total cases. 115 hospital beds are in use, occupying 23% of the 500 beds secured for patients with moderate to severe symptoms. The number of patients who require hospitalization is growing, so we must continue to be vigilant.

With the cooperation of Kanagawa Prefecture and medical institutions, Yokohama is working to enhance medical care provided for patients testing positive, especially for those experiencing severe symptoms, while maintaining local day-to-day medical services. I once again wish to express my utmost respect and gratitude to the medical care workers working hard in the field.

We once again call on our residents: please ensure you are observing basic measures to prevent the spread of infection, such as wearing masks, avoiding the “three C’s,” and making sure rooms are ventilated. Additionally, to reduce contact with others, please limit your outings. When you meet others, we ask that you help reduce the risk of infection by gathering in small numbers and for a short time, as well as refraining from talking in loud voices.

We ask businesses for their cooperation in reducing hours as well as implementing remote work and staggered working hours.

Yokohama will devote our full efforts to work together not only with the national and prefectural governments and medical institutions, but also with our local residents and businesses to stem the tide of a surging spread of infections, and to balance infectious disease measures with socio-economic activity.