Health&Wellness
Last Updated: 20th November, 2020.
Note: This page will be updated periodically.
What are the symptoms of possible COVID-19 infection and what should I do if I or a member of my family develops these symptoms?
According to the World Health Organization: “The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, tiredness, and dry cough. Some patients may have aches and pains, nasal congestion, runny nose, sore throat or diarrhea. These symptoms are usually mild and begin gradually. Some people become infected but don’t develop any symptoms and don't feel unwell. Most people (about 80%) recover from the disease without needing special treatment. Around 1 out of every 6 people who gets COVID-19 becomes seriously ill and develops difficulty breathing. Older people, and those with underlying medical problems like high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes, are more likely to develop serious illness. People with fever, cough and difficulty breathing should seek medical attention.”
If you or your child are in need of medical attention please contact your family doctor, or follow the protocols recommended by the Japanese government and/or local authorities. Phone numbers for consultation offices in the different Japanese prefectures are available at the MHLW website. (Japanese only)
Tokyo: 03-5320-4509
The Japan Visitor Hotline is also available for consulting about COVID-19 in English, Chinese, and Korean. The Japan National Tourism Organization service is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Tel.: 050-3816-2787
What should I do if I or a member of my family is confirmed to be infected with the COVID-19 virus?
follow the the steps below (provided by the CDC):
If you are sick, stay home except to get medical care.
Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover from home. Do not leave, except to get medical care. Do not visit public areas.
Stay in touch with your doctor: Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency.
Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis.
Separate yourself from other people in your home (practice home isolation).
Stay away from others: To every extent possible, you should stay in a specific “sick room” and away from other people in your home. Use a separate bathroom, if available.
Limit contact with pets & animals: You should restrict contact with pets and other animals, just like you would around other people.
Although there have not been reports of pets or other animals becoming sick with COVID-19, it is still recommended that people with the virus limit contact with animals until more information is known.
When possible, have another member of your household care for your animals while you are sick with COVID-19. If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wash your hands before and after you interact with them.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Wash hands: Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. This is especially important after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing; going to the bathroom; and before eating or preparing food.
Hand sanitizer: If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering all surfaces of your hands and rubbing them together until they feel dry.
Soap and water: Soap and water are the best option, especially if hands are visibly dirty.
Avoid touching: Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
Avoid sharing personal household items.
Do not share: Do not share dishes, drinking glasses, cups, eating utensils, towels, or bedding with other people in your home.
Wash thoroughly after use: After using these items, wash them thoroughly with soap and water or put in the dishwasher.
Clean all “high-touch” surfaces daily.
Clean high-touch surfaces in your isolation area (“sick room” and bathroom) every day; let a caregiver clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces in other areas of the home.
Clean and disinfect.
Routinely clean high-touch surfaces in your “sick room” and bathroom. Let someone else clean and disinfect surfaces in common areas, but not your bedroom and bathroom.
If a caregiver or other person needs to clean and disinfect a sick person’s bedroom or bathroom, they should do so on an as-needed basis. The caregiver/other person should wear a mask and wait as long as possible after the sick person has used the bathroom.
High-touch surfaces include phones, remote controls, counters, tabletops, doorknobs, bathroom fixtures, toilets, keyboards, tablets, and bedside tables.
Clean and disinfect areas that may have blood, stool, or body fluids on them.
Household cleaners and disinfectants:
Clean the area or item with soap and water or another detergent if it is dirty. Then, use a household disinfectant.
Be sure to follow the instructions on the label to ensure safe and effective use of the product. Many products recommend keeping the surface wet for several minutes to ensure germs are killed. Many also recommend precautions such as wearing gloves and making sure you have good ventilation during use of the product.
Monitor your symptoms.
Seek medical attention, but call first: Seek medical care right away if your illness is worsening (for example, if you have difficulty breathing).
Call your doctor before going in: Before going to the doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and tell them your symptoms. They will tell you what to do.
Wear a facemask: If possible, put on a facemask before you enter the building. If you can’t put on a facemask, try to keep a safe distance from other people (at least 6 feet/2 meters away). This will help protect those around you.
Follow care instructions from your healthcare provider and local health department: Your local health authorities will give instructions on checking your symptoms and reporting information.
What are your recommendations (or requirements) for self-quarantine?
If you have been overseas in the last 14 days, and especially if you are feeling unwell, self-quarantine for 14 days starting from the date you arrived in Japan and call your doctor as necessary. You must also self-quarantine if you have been in close contact with someone who already has contracted COVID-19. While you’re self-quarantining, if you start to feel unwell and develop any symptoms at all, but especially a fever or shortness of breath, a cough or a respiratory illness, you should seek immediate medical attention.
Take your temperature with a thermometer two times a day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period. Discuss your work situation with your employer before returning to work.
Do not take public transportation, taxis, or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
Avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).
What is the difference between quarantine and isolation?
Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the movement of well persons who may have been exposed to a communicable disease to see if they become ill. These people may have been exposed to a disease and do not know it, or they may have the disease but do not show symptoms. Quarantine can also help limit the spread of communicable disease.
Isolation is used to separate ill persons who have a communicable disease from those who are healthy. Isolation restricts the movement of ill persons to help stop the spread of certain diseases. See below for more on self-isolation.
What should I do if I or a family member has come in direct contact with someone who has been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus?
If you have come in direct contact with someone who has been confirmed to have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, we ask that you self-quarantine for 14 days and consult with the school secretary. If you develop flu-like symptoms, contact your physician by telephone and consult with COVID-19 help lines for instructions on when and where to seek medical attention.
We are feeling emotionally fragile because of The COVID-19 pandemic . Is the school able to provide any support?
Here are a few helpful resources for understanding and coping with the anxiety and mental stress that you may be feeling during these difficult times:
How can parents combat common issues (such as inactivity) during the current COVID-19 pandemic?
Social Isolation - We ask that you encourage your children to call their friends on the phone and see how they are, create chat groups with other parents to arrange “playdates,” and arrange shopping and running errands with friends and their children.
Inactivity - We ask that parents emphasise the importance of being physically active as this is an essential ingredient for the health and well being of human beings - promoting at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity daily is considered ideal.
Screen Time - Parents have seen success in setting aside time to “unplug” after a day of Distance Learning. They have created “technology-free zones” in their living spaces to encourage the limitation of excessive screen time. Additionally, we hope that parents minimise the use of technology over the weekend by promoting other physical activities.