As a measure against the border of the new mutant virus Omicron strain of the new corona, the government is requiring Japanese and others entering the country to stay in accommodation facilities.
However, due to the spread of the Omicron strain, the room usage rate temporarily exceeded 90% at the facilities around Narita Airport and Haneda Airport, and some people moved to local airports and stayed at the surrounding facilities. Is continuing.
The government requires countries and regions where Omicron strains have been confirmed to stay in accommodations designated by the quarantine station for 3 to 10 days for Japanese entering the country and foreigners with a status of residence.
According to government officials, the number of
people
accepted at facilities around Narita Airport and Haneda Airport
was about 500 in principle on November 30 when foreigners stopped entering the country, but on
December 6 The number has increased to 5,200.
▽ As of December 12, the number has risen to 6,300.
The usage rate of the reserved rooms
exceeded 90% on December 6th, and
after that, the number of receiving facilities increased and dropped to about 60%, but it started to increase again
▽ As of December 12th, it was in the 60% range. It is the second half.
Due to the rapid spread of Omicron strains overseas, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare believes that room occupancy rates may rise further, and some of the immigrants have entered Chubu Airport, Kansai Airport, and Fukuoka Airport. After moving to such places, we are taking measures to have the surrounding accommodation facilities wait.
Although there have been cases of temporary transfers to local airports before, it is unusual to do this on a large scale.
The number of people entering Japan is expected to peak this weekend and remain high until around Christmas, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is working to secure recipients.
Arrive at Narita “Suddenly waiting in Fukuoka”
A man who returned from the United States moved from Narita Airport to a hotel in Fukuoka Prefecture designated by the country and lived a waiting life for three days.
A man told NHK about his feelings at the time, saying, "I was very anxious when I was suddenly told where I was going at the airport."
Yuzuru Kyoda (28), who works for an American pharmaceutical company, returned from California and arrived at Narita Airport after 3:00 pm on the 7th of this month.
When entering from California, you need to wait for 3 days at a facility designated by the country, but the staff told you that you will wait at a hotel in Fukuoka.
I boarded a national charter plane from Narita Airport around 7 pm, arrived at Fukuoka Airport, moved by the prepared bus, and arrived at a hotel in Fukuoka city after 11 pm.
About 30 to 40 people were on board the charter plane from Narita, and the flow lines were divided so that they would not come into contact with other passengers when boarding the bus.
I was told not to go out at a hotel in Fukuoka City and waited for 3 days until the 10th of this month.
After that, I flew back to Narita Airport and am now waiting at an acquaintance's house in Tokyo.
At the hotel, it was sometimes difficult to get daily necessities such as detergent, but it was said that there was no particular inconvenience in life because every meal and lunch were provided free of charge and placed in front of the room.
Looking back at that time, Mr. Kanda said, "I was upset because I didn't expect to go to Fukuoka. I was very anxious when I was suddenly told where I was going at the airport. I think it's difficult because I'm ready, but I wanted some information, such as the government and airlines working together to send the schedule in advance. "
"Joke?" "Depressed" Posting one after another on SNS
On SNS, after returning to Narita Airport, there are a series of posts saying that they moved to airports other than Kanto, such as Sendai and Chubu, and waited at the hotel.
Of these, the person who moved to a hotel in Sendai initially introduced the story that when he heard that the hotel would be in Sendai, he thought it was a joke and the people around him burst into laughter.
A woman who moved to Chubu Airport and waited at the hotel said she arrived at the hotel at 1 am at midnight and said, "I can't get out of the room and feel depressed."
Also, a woman who moved from Narita to Kansai Airport arrived at the hotel at midnight, so she wrote about the confusion about moving with her 4-year-old daughter.
Current status and issues
Waiting facilities for people entering from designated countries and regions are being secured mainly by renting private accommodation facilities such as hotels.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of waiting facilities is
limited
because it is necessary to ▽
be near the airport to move immigrants immediately and
▽ to rent the entire facility instead of each room to thoroughly prevent infection.
That is.
For this reason, the national
government will take
additional measures
such
as temporarily renting accommodation facilities for positive people secured by prefectures as
well as private
accommodation facilities, and using accommodation facilities of training institutions under the jurisdiction of each ministry and agency.
We are.
On the other hand, waiting facilities also require personnel involved in administrative aspects such as arranging meals and cleaning, and the issue is how to secure the facilities and how to deal with them with a limited number of personnel.
Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare "Please understand that we may cause inconvenience."
At a press conference after the Cabinet meeting, Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Goto said, "We are currently preparing a facility with 13,000 rooms, and the number has increased by 2,000 even from last weekend. I would like to work on securing facilities. "
In addition, regarding the response to move to a facility near another airport that can afford it, "The number of facility users is increasing due to the strengthening of border measures and the spread of infection worldwide, and we are aiming for leveling while an increasing trend is expected. We are aware of the inconvenience caused, but we appreciate your understanding and cooperation. "