Manabu Abe in charge of Research and Academia-Government-Community Collaboration

The following is Hiroshima University’s policy on the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) countermeasures in the research activities conducted in each laboratory.

Research Activities in response to Level 1 Caution Level:

・Research activities are allowed with utmost consideration taken to prevent further spread of infection.
・Students are encouraged to to carry out research activities from home or remotely.

To prevent the spread of Novel Coronavirus infection, please observe the following precautions.  As long as those are observed, your research activities will not be restricted. However, if the level of spreading changes in the future, we will update the policy.

Please strictly observe the following precautions. Even if a case of Novel Coronavirus infection is confirmed in the laboratory, these precautions are important to minimize the number of close contacts.

(2-1) You cannot go into the campus in the following cases

• Those who have been requested to self-isolate for 2 weeks after returning from / entering into Japan or after being determined to be a close contact by the public health center cannot go to university during the self-isolating period.
• Those who have one of the following symptoms: a fever of 37.5 degrees or a fever one degree higher than normal, fatigue, cough, short breath, sore throat, headache, and loss of smell / taste; are considered sick and need to follow the instructions below.

  In case a person considered sick takes a PCR test, the person needs to stay home until receiving the result.
  ・If the PCR test is positive, the person needs to take actions as “Infected”.
  ・If the PCR test is negative, the person needs to stay home until 3 days after the symptoms are gone.
  ・If the PCR test has not been taken, the person needs to stay home until 8 days after the symptoms started and 3 days after the symptoms are gone.  If 14 days have passed since the second vaccination, the person only needs to stay home until 3 days after the symptoms are gone.

  In case a sick cohabitant takes a PCR test, the person needs to stay home until receiving the result.
  ・If the PCR test is positive, the person needs to take actions as “Close Contact”.
  ・If the PCR test is negative, the person no longer needs to stay home.
  ・If the PCR test has not been taken, the person needs to stay home until the symptoms are gone.  If a student or faculty/staff takes a PCR test outside university and confirmed negative, the person no longer needs to stay home.

  If a cohabitant was considered a Close Contact (in need of a PCR test), the person needs to take the following actions.
  ・Even if the person is not sick, the person needs to stay home until the PCR result of the cohabitant is confirmed.
  ・If the cohabitant was negative as a result of PCR test, the person no longer needs to stay home.
  ・If the cohabitant was positive as a result of PCR test, even if the person is PCR negative, the person needs to stay home for 14 days since the day of last contact based on instructions of the public health center.

  *Students in the Kasumi area who are conducting clinical training will follow the standards of the hospital staff of the training destination.

(2-2) Precautions in laboratory activities

1.  Work at home wherever possible.
2.  Always use a mask in the laboratory and encourage hand washing.
3.  Please keep a record of entering and leaving the laboratory every day.
   ・Please keep a record of all the personnel entering and leaving the laboratory.
   ・If a person with onset is reported, such record will be necessary to identify the persons with
      close contact.
4.  Be sure to record your daily health condition (body temperature / physical condition) on the
    "A Health Status Confirmation Questionnaire / Movements Record Sheets".
5.  In the laboratory, ensure the environment that avoids three C’s "Confined spaces, crowded
    places and close contact with people" for a long time.
   ・When conducting a seminar, please open the windows for ventilation.
   ・If the seminar takes long, take a break every hour for rest and ventilation.
   ・Please use ICT and maximize use of remote conferences.
   ・Avoid sitting face to face in the laboratory / room, and take a seat at intervals of at least 1 m,
      preferably 2 m.
   ・In the laboratory, please work at intervals of at least 1 m, preferably 2 m and ensure frequent
      ventilation.
   ・In the laboratory where ventilation is not sufficient, stay in the laboratory as short as possible
      and keep conversation to the minimum.
   ・When eating and drinking in a room, please do not face each other and leave a space.
   ・Keep common equipment and furniture clean by disinfecting or wiping.