[Special Feature: The Corona Crisis and the University] Introduction to the "Guide to COVID-19 Countermeasures for the Workplace" / Fumihiro Yamasawa

2020/08/06

News related to the novel coronavirus infection (hereinafter referred to as "this disease"), which originated in Wuhan, China and spread, began to be reported in Japan in early January of this year. At a meeting of the Occupational Health Committee of the Japanese Society of Travel and Medicine (Chair: the author) held in a timely manner on January 9, we discussed whether the society, which covers all aspects of travel-related medical care, should disseminate information about this disease. Meanwhile, as early as January 16, the first infected person was reported in Japan, and it became feared that this disease was not just a fire on the opposite shore, but that the infection would spread within Japan as well.

As inquiries from companies with overseas assignments gradually increased, the Occupational Health Committee of the Japanese Society of Travel and Medicine was preparing to disseminate accurate information to corporate HR representatives when we received an offer from the Research Group on Health Management for Overseas Employees of the Japan Society for Occupational Health to jointly disseminate information. Although it was only three pages long, it was on February 1 that we uploaded "Information on the Novel Coronavirus—Measures Required for Companies and Individuals" to our website. That was the day the government designated this disease as a "Designated Infectious Disease" under the Infectious Diseases Act and a "Quarantinable Infectious Disease" under the Quarantine Act, following the WHO's declaration on January 30 that this disease was a "Public Health Emergency of International Concern." Subsequently, we repeatedly revised the "Information on the Novel Coronavirus," including situations such as the issuance of the state of emergency (April 7) and changes to the definition of close contacts.

In late April, the document was made an official publication of the Japanese Society of Travel and Medicine and the Japan Society for Occupational Health, and the title was changed to "Guide to COVID-19 Countermeasures for the Workplace," and the first edition, consisting of 46 pages, was uploaded on May 11. Since it was during the period when the state of emergency was in effect, it also touched upon business continuity, employees' return to the workplace, benefits, and matters related to wages and leave allowances. Following the lifting of the state of emergency nationwide on May 25, we uploaded the second edition on June 4, which included business resumption and medium- to long-term measures. It described company responses when employees become infected or close contacts, responses for business travelers and expatriates, as well as telework and mental health, precautions for holding shareholders' meetings, and legal points to note.

Countermeasures against the novel coronavirus infection, which is a major threat to humanity, need to be considered from a medium- to long-term perspective, and we hope that this "Countermeasures Guide" will be useful to all Keio University alumni.

For details, please refer to the Japanese Society of Travel and Medicine and the Japan Society for Occupational Health.