It has been a serious situation across the world about Coronavirus, I am sure everyone gets nervous about this new virus.
My husband and I flew to Japan, on February 1st, 2020.
My husband went back to the US already and I have been staying in my parent’s house, Gifu, Japan.
Today I am going to tell you what is like Japanese daily life and what I do during my stay here.
This is not the medical and travel guide that you should do because I am not a medical specialist, just one blogger.
Wash hands with hand soap frequently
Japan is not except, the shortage of face mask have been problems especially in February, but the most important prevention is “wash and sanitize hands” more than wearing masks.
When we go out, we touch many things unconsciously.
Every time I go back home, eat foods, touch my skin, I wash hands with bubbled hand soap and rinse them with running water for at least 30 seconds.
Why making bubbles is better?
The bubbles float dirt and viruses from the hand skin without rubbing skins too much (it cause dry skin) and also wash a larger area of hands effectively for increasing the volume of soap.
It is said that the better bubbles clean the hands well, so make the firm smooth forms as much as you can.
I use a form soap dispenser at home.
How to wash hands well
The government announces how to wash hands correctly.
Before wash hands, it is better to cut nails short and take accessories such as a ring, a bracelet, a watch.
- After the first rinse, put the soap on your hands.
- Make a bubble form and rub gently the back of hands.
- Wash fingertips and nails well
- Wash between fingers well j
- Wash thumbs and palms well
- Do not forget to wash wrists either
- Rince hands for at least 30 seconds and wipes with paper towels or a clean towel
Bring hand sanitizer all the time
I brought a few hand sanitizers from the US because I thought it was not popular among Japanese people to use hand sanitizer.
Japanese people tend to wash hands in the restroom or using wipes rather than using hand sanitizer in public place but in this panic, the stores put alcohol sanitizer by entrance doors.
However, I still bring own sanitizer (gel) and use it constantly especially when I go shopping.
Wipe a table and a handrest
After we left the US, we wipe every detail such as an attached table, a hand rest, a monitor on the plane, trains, and Shinkansens with a sanitizing wipe.
Wearing a Face mask?
Wearing Masks is basically prevent to infect other people against the virus.
It might be meaningful, as it can physically prevent the flying of saliva and runny nose containing viruses from flying when a person with symptoms sneezes.
This is the common sense in the US, but as I told here, Japan is the one of mask lover’s country.
Although before the COVID-19 outbreak, the Japanse people wear masks usually.
As you know, medical masks are shortage all over the world, people make a long line to get facial masks in China, Korea, and Japan.
However, specialists are saying that wearing regular surgical masks are not helpful to prevent Coronavirus.
Moreover, you can’t use the mask once you ware over and over.
Thus, regular surgical masks that people are looking for are not obviously effective for healthy people in preventing infection.
Wash and sanitize hands carefully and avoid touching a face unnecessary.
Cough etiquette
Cover the mouth and the nose with a tissue or the elbow when you cough and sneeze.
Keep away from the crowd
When we traveled to Japan since February 1, we see the news that the number of patients infected with Coronavirus has been increasing day by day.
Especially after my husband went back to the US, the infection has been spread out in Tokyo, Hokkaido, several places throughout Japan.
Finally, the prime minister appealed to Japanese residents about school closures.
Not only that, major theme parks such as Tokyo Disney land made a decision to close for two weeks, and big leisure events are postponed or canceled.
I am sad every morning to hear the increase patients all over the world, so I decided to not go out if unneeded.
Postpone the Japan trip?
I don’t have the right answer that you should postpone your Jpan trip, but it might be better to wait for the trip to Japan if you haven’t bought a ticket yet.
However, it is said that it better to postpone the trip if you have a chronic disease or immune deficiency.
You don’t want to travel around with the fear to be caught coronavirus, do you?
Face masks and alcohol-based sanitizers are running out nationwide, and major theme parks and events are closed and canceled.
The other day, Geikos didn’t serve tea at the tea ceremony in Kyoto which many foreign travelers visit every year for the reason to prevent the COVID-19 outbreak.
To get back regular days, Japan needs to be patient not to spread out the virus although they don’t mean that they don’t want to give satisfying service.