Corona measures to be enhanced

From July 23 to 26 this year, we have 4-day holidays in Japan. I visited my parents and got a summer mask made by one of my aunts. She is good at sewing (and cooking) and gave two masks to my mother. I could choose between them and got this one. Though it is smaller than those available in drugstores, I liked the pattern with swimming fish.

Before the outbreak of covid-19, Japanese people used to wear only white masks. But now, many people enjoy making their original masks with a variety of colors and patterns. Even some shops in the downtown sell fashionable cloth masks though they are not drugstores or handicraft shops. Though it is quite humid and hot, it is still necessary to wear a mask.

During these holidays, two corona clusters were found in the downtown Hamamatsu. They broke out at a nightclub and a bar. In the press conference today, the mayor said that there has been 52 cases confirmed in the recent one week, and 40 cases of them are related with the clusters. He also said that tests would be conducted for staff of 650 bars and nightclubs, and the city would introduce a certification system of restaurants that actively take measures to avoid the “Three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings).”

When I first heard of the clusters, I was shocked because before July 23, there had been only 8 cases confirmed in the city and the last case was announced in June. I live near the downtown, and the closest supermarket to me is the one located there. Maybe it’s better to buy foods online.