Video message from the Mayor to residents about the priority preventive measures(2021.4.21)

You can also watch the video message with English subtitles below.

Residents of Yokohama,
This is Mayor Hayashi Fumiko.

On April 20, priority preventive measures were expandedto include Yokohama.
They will be in effect for 3 weeks until May 11.
In response, the city instructed public facilities to generally be closed by 8 p.m. and attendees of city-organized events will be capped at 5,000 people.

A fourth wave of the infections of the new coronavirus, COVID-19, is rapidly spreading across the country.
In Osaka especially, a third state of emergency is expected to go into effect and Tokyo is also considering a request to the government.

Last week, 512 new cases were identified in Yokohama, an increase of 132% over last week, presenting a striking increase in a week’s time.
The proportion of cases caused by variant strains is also increasing in the prefecture, and there is a possibility that the surge in cases seen in the Kansai region may also happen in Yokohama.
The city will use all available resources and make every effort to stop the spread of the infection.

To prepare for a rapid spread of infections, the city is especially focused on expanding available hospital beds.
We have also enhanced its coordinating organization, Y-CERT, as well as public health center systems.

Based on third wave measures, the city has secured 554 beds for positive cases in cooperation with local facilities, nearly twice as many as the number of patients hospitalized at the peak of infections during the third wave.
We have also secured a total 925 beds at 64 facilities for suspected COVID cases and recovering patients, and we will continue to ensure everyday medical care
stays available as readily as infectious disease treatment.
Under the coordination provided by Y-CERT,the city will assign beds flexibly in response to the state of the spread of infection.

Long term care facility vaccinations that began April 12 are thankfully progressing smoothly, and as of April 19, nearly 1,600 shots have been administered.
This Friday, individual notices will begin to go out for residents 80 or older so appointments can be made for group vaccinations next month and individual vaccinations scheduled to start in June.

The government has said it expects to procure enough vaccine for all eligible residents by the end of September.
As the head of the COVID-19 response headquarters of the Mayors Association of Designated Cities, I personally made a request to Minister Kono for a steady supply to continue vaccinations smoothly.
The city will continue to dedicate all efforts in preparing for vaccinations so that all residents who wish to get them can do so with peace of mind.

To all Yokohama residents:
I ask that each of you remain vigilant and observe basic measures to prevent infection.
A long public holiday will soon be upon us.
Please refrain from non-essential outings and travel, even during the day.
Day or night, please wear masks when drinking or dining.

To local businesses in Yokohama:
Please cooperate with national and prefectural policies for restaurants and the like to close by 8 p.m., observe restrictions on events, and so on.
Help achieve a 70% reduction of staff in offices via remote work, flexible working hours, staggered commuting and lunch hours, and other ways to help
reduce contact at work and while commuting.
Please ask that all customers wear masks, and refrain from operating karaoke equipment at restaurants.

Doing all we can now to bring down the number of cases coming in a fourth wave, while slowing the spread of infection, will help us to reclaim our peaceful daily lives and bustling city even a day sooner.
There is a light at the end of this tunnel.
Let’s help each other reach it together.

Thank you.