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Volume 27, Number 10—October 2021
Online Report

Proactive Engagement of the Expert Meeting in Managing the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Epidemic, Japan, February–June 2020

Tomoya SaitoComments to Author , Kaori Muto, Mikihito Tanaka, Nobuhiko Okabe, Hitoshi Oshitani, Satoshi Kamayachi, Yoshihiro Kawaoka, Akihiko Kawana, Motoi Suzuki, Kazuhiro Tateda, Hitomi Nakayama, Masaki Yoshida, Akifumi Imamura, Fumio Ohtake, Norio Ohmagari, Ken Osaka, Mitsuo Kaku, Tomimasa Sunagawa, Kazutoshi Nakashima, Hiroshi Nishiura, Koji Wada, Shigeru Omi, and Takaji Wakita
Author affiliations: National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Tokyo, Japan (T. Saito, M. Suzuki, T. Sunagawa, T. Wakita); Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo (K. Muto, Y. Kawaoka); Waseda University Graduate School of Political Science, Tokyo (M. Tanaka); Kawasaki City Institute for Public Health, Kawasaki, Japan (N. Okabe); Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan (H. Oshitani); Japan Medical Association, Tokyo (S. Kamayachi); University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA (Y. Kawaoka); National Defense Medical College, Tokorozawa, Japan (A. Kawana); Toho University School of Medicine, Tokyo (K. Tateda); Kasumigaseki–Sogo Law Office, Tokyo (H. Nakayama); Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo (M. Yoshida); Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, Tokyo (A. Imamura); Osaka University Graduate School of Economics, Toyonaka, Japan (F. Ohtake); National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo (N. Ohmagari); Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Sendai (K. Osaka); Tohoku Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Sendai (M. Kaku); Daito Bunka University, Higashimatsuyama, Japan (K. Nakashima); Graduate School of Medicine and Faculty of Medicine Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan (H. Nishiura); International University of Health and Welfare, Narita, Japan (K. Wada); Japan Community Health Care Organization, Tokyo (S. Omi)

Main Article

Figure

Major activities of the EM and epidemiologic curve of (COVID-19 in Japan, January–July 2020. The GOJ ad hoc GOJ HQ on January 30, 2020, as an ad hoc response headquarters to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic with the Cabinet’s approval. The Advisory Board in the MHLW COVID-19 Response Headquarters was established on February 4 and had several meetings (indicated by asterisks). However, all members were assigned to a newly established advisory body, the EM in the ad hoc GOJ HQ, on February 14, 2020, which actively discussed and proposed COVID-19 response measures to ad hoc GOJ HQ until July 3, 2020. White triangles, black triangles, black circles, and black squares all indicate days when the EM was held. Black triangles indicate when EM published issues of its Perspective. Black circles indicate when EM published its Request to the MHLW on quarantine measures. Black squares indicate when EM published its Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic. Meetings of the Advisory Board were not held during the time the EM was active. After the Special Measures Act for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response was amended to apply this act to COVID-19, the GOJ COVID-19 Response HQ (GOJ HQ) was established under the Special Measures Act on March 26 when COVID-19 was recognized as having pandemic potential. This new GOJ HQ took over the role of coordinating the comprehensive government response to COVID-19 from its predecessor, the ad hoc GOJ HQ. The Advisory Committee on Basic Policies is a standing subcommittee of the Panel of Experts for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases mandated to give advice on the basic policies for responding to the pandemic under the Special Measures Act. The meetings of the Advisory Committee on Basic Policies were held upon the publication and amendment of the Basic Policies beginning on March 27, 2020 (indicated by black plus signs). 3Cs, closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many persons nearby, and close-contact settings such as close-range conversations; COVID-19, coronavirus disease; EM, Expert Meeting; GOJ, Government of Japan; HQ, headquarters; MHLW, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; MHLW Response HQ, MHLW COVID-19 Response Headquarters; PHEIC, Public Health Emergency of International Concern; SRRC, Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic; WHO, World Health Organization.

Figure. Major activities of the EM and epidemiologic curve of (COVID-19 in Japan, January–July 2020. The GOJ ad hoc GOJ HQ on January 30, 2020, as an ad hoc response headquarters to respond to the COVID-19 epidemic with the Cabinet’s approval. The Advisory Board in the MHLW COVID-19 Response Headquarters was established on February 4 and had several meetings (indicated by asterisks). However, all members were assigned to a newly established advisory body, the EM in the ad hoc GOJ HQ, on February 14, 2020, which actively discussed and proposed COVID-19 response measures to ad hoc GOJ HQ until July 3, 2020. White triangles, black triangles, black circles, and black squares all indicate days when the EM was held. Black triangles indicate when EM published issues of its Perspective. Black circles indicate when EM published its Request to the MHLW on quarantine measures. Black squares indicate when EM published its Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic. Meetings of the Advisory Board were not held during the time the EM was active. After the Special Measures Act for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Disease Preparedness and Response was amended to apply this act to COVID-19, the GOJ COVID-19 Response HQ (GOJ HQ) was established under the Special Measures Act on March 26 when COVID-19 was recognized as having pandemic potential. This new GOJ HQ took over the role of coordinating the comprehensive government response to COVID-19 from its predecessor, the ad hoc GOJ HQ. The Advisory Committee on Basic Policies is a standing subcommittee of the Panel of Experts for Pandemic Influenza and New Infectious Diseases mandated to give advice on the basic policies for responding to the pandemic under the Special Measures Act. The meetings of the Advisory Committee on Basic Policies were held upon the publication and amendment of the Basic Policies beginning on March 27, 2020 (indicated by black plus signs). 3Cs, closed spaces with poor ventilation, crowded places with many persons nearby, and close-contact settings such as close-range conversations; COVID-19, coronavirus disease; EM, Expert Meeting; GOJ, Government of Japan; HQ, headquarters; MHLW, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare; MHLW Response HQ, MHLW COVID-19 Response Headquarters; PHEIC, Public Health Emergency of International Concern; SRRC, Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic; WHO, World Health Organization.

Main Article

Page created: August 18, 2021
Page updated: September 19, 2021
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