New Coronavirus Where to consult in a foreign language? March 28, 18:13
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has established a telephone consultation service on the new coronavirus since January, but does not support consultation in foreign languages. Where should I consult if I would like to consult in a foreign language?
If you would like to consult in a foreign language, use the Japan Tourism Agency's telephone consultation service for foreign tourists, or use the foreign language consultation service provided by some prefectures and municipalities. I want it.
Of these, the telephone office of the Japan Tourism Agency has been set up in order to respond to foreign tourists in the event of a disaster, and is available 24 hours a day in English, Chinese, and Korean.
According to the Japan Tourism Agency, consultations related to the new coronavirus have been received since January, and the number of consultations up to 22 this month has been about 4500.
Tokyo has also set up a call center for the new coronavirus, which has been available for consultations in English, Chinese and Korean since last month.
According to the capital, there were 246 consultations in foreign languages received by the 22nd of this month, including information on whether the patient was infected with the new coronavirus, and how to treat and prevent infection. That means there are many consultations.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has also set up telephone counters for medical consultations in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Spanish. I was told that I would get a certificate to show that I was not infected, but what should I do? "
If you are suspected to be infected, the "Returnee / Contact Telephone Consultation Center", which is handled by a health center, will be the contact point. It is not ready for consultation.
Foreigners come to Kanagawa prefecture hospitals in six languages
With the spread of the new coronavirus infection, hospitals in Kanagawa Prefecture, which has a medical treatment system in six foreign languages, are seeing an increasing number of foreigners visiting the hospital with anxiety.
Kobayashi International Clinic, located in Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture, has a system that allows medical examinations in six languages, including English, Korean, and Tagalog, so that foreigners can easily consult.
Consultations on the new coronavirus have been increasing since this month, and foreigners have visited medical examinations one after another on the 28th.
Foreigners visiting hospitals have been receiving numerous consultations about whether they are infected with the new coronavirus and inquiries about whether they can be tested.
A 58-year-old Filipino man who was consulted said, "I'm anxious and usually get information on the Internet. I don't speak Japanese and sometimes I can't communicate well with doctors at other hospitals." I was talking.
Kobayashi Yoneyuki, Director of the Kobayashi International Clinic, said, "I think it is difficult for Japanese people to understand how a new coronavirus is tested, but there is little information available to foreigners. Living in Japan With the increasing number of foreigners and tourists, important information for Japanese is also important for foreigners. "