Currently, the number of cases with the novel coronavirus infections across the major cities in Japan is on its increase. On 30th March 2020, we were informed that one HU student, who has been on the study program in Europe, turned out to be positive following the laboratory testing of the novel coronavirus disease. Upon arrival to the Narita International Airport, the student was admitted to the local hospital in Kanto area.

On 4th February, Conference on Measures against Novel Coronavirus Infection was established at HU. Since then, eight meetings have been held by the conference; we have been committed to securing the health of all the students and the faculty/administrative members of HU, trying to prevent further novel coronavirus infections. Following the outbreak of one afore-mentioned case with the novel corona virus infection identified at HU, the responsibilities of Conference on Measures against Novel Coronavirus Infection have been transferred to “HU Task Force for Risk Management” today, with me acting as the head of the task force. Bearing in mind that the situation regarding the outbreak of the novel coronavirus infections is changing on a daily basis, the task force has looked into the issues including the starting date for the lectures at HU as well as preventative measures against further spread of the novel coronavirus infections. In so doing, we have done our best to update ourselves with the information from the Japanese government and the local government concerning the latest policies/guidelines on the novel coronavirus infections. In the reviewing process, the long-lasting effect of the infections has been also taken into account.

What follows are the decisions having been made by the task force today, i.e. 2nd April:

1. In the previous issue of Message from President published on yesterday, i.e. 1st April, I informed you that all the lectures held in the classrooms at HU would start on Wednesday 15th April. However, that is no longer the case: today HU has decided to postpone the starting date until the end of the “Golden Week” (around 7th May). As for the online learning, it will start from 8th April as originally planned.

2. If you are incoming students to HU, please note that: (a) we will only hand you down with your ID cards; (b) the orientation session for each School will be held online. After you have been issued with your HU e-mail address, we will send you an e-mail containing a link to a physical condition questionnaire regarding the spread of the novel coronavirus disease.

3. As we already have conducted the same questionnaires using the Contact System for Emergency to the existing HU students as well as the faculty/administrative members today, you are kindly requested to take part in this survey promptly.

4. All the students, faculty/administrative members of HU are required to take a daily measurement of their temperature and keep the record on health-check chart provided. Should you experience any abnormalities such as high fever/frequent cough/sore throat, please stay home. At the same time, please also inform any of such abnormalities by e-mail to your tutor if you are a student; the head of your workplace if you are university staff (faculty/administrative members). This is a system the task force has come up with where all the relevant information is put forward to and consolidated by the head of risk management, TAWARA Koji, who is an Executive Director at HU.

For the time being, the students, faculty/administrative members may be inconvenienced by a series of decisions made by the university. Be that as it may, I am determined to lead the way and tackle incoming issues so as to bring back safe and secure campus life at HU as early as possible.

Mitsuo Ochi
President, Hiroshima University