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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)

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Table 2

Agenda and outcomes of the Expert Meeting for COVID-19, Japan, 2020

Meeting no. Date Major agenda Related actions
1 Feb 16 Characteristics of COVID-19, situational assessment, patient visitation numbers, isolation of asymptomatic cases –
2 Feb 19 Situational assessment, policies on mass gathering events, passenger management policy of a cruise ship Alert regarding hosting mass gathering events from MHLW on Feb 20 (4)
3 Feb 24 Key principles for responding to COVID-19 Published first issue of Perspectives (5), press conference
4† Feb 29 Preparedness for public health measures (surveillance, prevention of the spread, medical preparedness) in a pandemic phase Notified local governments to enhance preparedness on Mar 1 (6).
5† Mar 2 Pandemic scenario and medical preparedness, countermeasures for outbreaks in Hokkaido Prefecture Published Perspectives on COVID-19 Epidemic (7), notified local governments to enhance medical preparedness on Mar 6 (8).
6 Mar 9 Epidemiologic assessment, evaluation of interventions in Hokkaido Prefecture, considerations on the high-risk environment for a cluster-forming event in daily life   Published Perspectives on COVID-19 Epidemic (7), press conference, publication of Considerations on the High-Risk Environment for a Cluster-Forming Event (9)
7† Mar 17 Risk for imported cases, quarantine measures Published Request to MHLW on quarantine measures (10), quarantine measures reinforced and the area of refusal of landing expanded on Mar 18
8 Mar 19 Epidemiologic assessment, behavior changes to avoid the 3Cs, medical preparedness, stigma and discrimination, diagnostics, policy on mass gathering events, consultation guidance on COVID-19 for patients Published first Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (11)
9† Mar 26 Epidemiologic assessment –
10 Apr 1 Situation report and recommendations, standards for discharge for mild cases Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (12), press conference
11 Apr 22    Situation report and recommendations, hospitalization policy for pregnant women Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (13), press conference
12 May 1 Situation report and recommendations Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (14), press conference
13 May 4    Situation report and recommendations, consultation guidance for COVID-19 for patients   Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (15), press conference, published a supplemental document on surge capacity assessment on molecular diagnostics (16), published New Normal in Practice (16)
14 May 14 Situation report and recommendations Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (17) and press conference
15 May 29    Situation report and recommendations, review of discharge policy, review of testing policy for close contacts   Published Situation Report and Recommendations on COVID-19 Epidemic (9), press conference, published Checklist for Preparedness in Local Governments for the Second wave (18), published supplemental document on Japan’s cluster-based approach (10)
16† June 12 Revision of discharge policy –
17† June 19 Revised pandemic scenario and medical preparedness –

*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; –, no specific action taken. †Round-robin.

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