Hiroshima extends and expands COVID-19 emergency measures

[January 15, 2021]
Yesterday, Governor Hidehiko Yuzaki announced that current business restrictions and emergency measures to control the spread of the new coronavirus in Hiroshima are to be extended and expanded.

The extension comes as Hiroshima has not been able to escape from Stage 4 pandemic threat level at which the number of daily confirmed cases of the new coronavirus are high enough that there is a risk of medical facilities being overwhelmed

In response, the limited opening of bars and restaurants requiring alcohol sales to stop at 7pm and businesses to close at 8pm which were due to end on January 17, will be extended until February 7. The measures currently only apply to central Hiroshima, but this area will be extended to the whole city from January 18. The measures will now also apply to cafes and karaoke boxes (kind of incredible that karaoke boxes were initially exempt, but never mind…)

Businesses that comply will be awarded a subsidy of ¥1,260,000.

Outside of Hiroshima city limits, the governor requests that the people of Hiroshima Prefecture make great efforts to try to reduce the number non-essential contacts with other people by 80%, that people refrain from non-essential travel in and out of the city (excluding for work and school) and that 70% of work be conducted remotely.

[UPDATE 18 January, 2021]
The national government has decided not to include Hiroshima City in their latest emergency declaration. The prefectural government has, nonetheless, decided to go ahead with the disease prevention measures as planned. However, the subsidy available for food and beverage businesses that comply with the policy will drop from the promised ¥1,260,000 to ¥840,0000.

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Sources: Chugoku Shimbun | RCC News