As the number of new coronavirus infections is on the rise, we are about to enter December this year.
In preparation for the spread of infection in the "eighth wave," some people are enjoying an early year-end party at izakayas in Tokyo.
Opinions for and against holding a year-end party are divided, but survey results show that many of the younger generation agree.
What will you do for your year-end party this year?
The year-end party is also moving forward
At an izakaya in Shimbashi, Tokyo, we are holding a "year-end party early discount campaign" where if you make a reservation by this month, you will be able to increase the all-you-can-drink menu and add one dish in order to consider bringing forward the year-end party in preparation for the future spread of infection. increase.
Furthermore, even if the course meal is suddenly canceled due to infection with the new corona, etc., we have started an initiative that does not charge a cancellation fee until the night of the previous day, and it was crowded with many people on the night of the 24th.
According to the store, before the spread of corona infection, many reservations were made for year-end parties after mid-December, but reservations began this month, and the number of reservations has increased eightfold compared to the same period last year. That's it.
A man in his 60s who used it for an early year-end party with a friend said, "Looking at the current number of infected people, it is expected to increase considerably in December, so I thought it was time to relax and enjoy it." I was.
While the izakaya chain is in a difficult situation due to the influence of the corona wreck, the store wants to enjoy the year-end party while dispersing the risk of infection by having reservations made earlier than usual.
Saori Kinoshita of the brand PR department of Watami, which runs this izakaya, said, ``Until last year, many people couldn't come due to shortened business hours and restrictions on movement, but this year, some people will have a year-end party in November. The number is increasing. I would like to create a space where people can enjoy themselves while taking maximum measures against infection so that they can come with peace of mind."
Year-end party What about the younger generation?
Amid heightened vigilance over the spread of the new coronavirus, there are pros and cons about holding a year-end party, but survey results show that many of the younger generation are in favor.
A private research agency, Job Research Institute, conducted an online survey of people in their 20s to 50s nationwide about this year's year-end party late last month, and received responses from 770 people working in companies.
As a result, a total of 58% of the respondents answered that they "agree" or "somewhat agree" with
the year-end party at the workplace, and
▽ "disagree" or "somewhat disagree" with a total of 42%.
By age group, 65% of those in their 20s answered that they "agree" or "somewhat agree", followed by 54% in their 30s, 50% in their 40s, and 44% in their 50s.
As reasons for their support, there were voices such as "I couldn't do it for two years due to the corona sickness, so I want to thank you at work" and "I'm working remotely and face-to-face communication is decreasing, so it's a valuable place."
On the other hand, as reasons for opposition, there were voices such as "Holding a year-end party in the 8th wave is too risky" and "I didn't feel the need even though it was abolished due to the corona disaster."
According to Job Research Institute, ``Some people in their 20s have never had a year-end party and want to chat with their boss about things other than work. Isn't it?"
The number of Izakaya chain stores decreased by 19% from before the spread of infection
On the other hand, according to a survey of 16 chains that operate izakayas and bars by the private research company "Tokyo Shoko Research", the total number of stores as of the end of September was 5,387, and the spread of the new corona infection. Compared to the end of December 2019, the number of stores decreased by 1274, or 19%.
While sales have declined due to requests to stop the provision of alcoholic beverages due to repeated emergency declarations, 585 stores were closed last year, and 390 stores were closed last year. 299 stores have closed by September, and the brakes have not been applied.
According to a survey company, the impact is greater on restaurants that serve a large number of customers at banquets, etc. than restaurants that specialize in specific dishes and mainly accept a small number of customers, and the number of restaurants compared to before the spread of infection. It means that there is also an izakaya chain that has halved.
Shokichi Futaki of Tokyo Shoko Research said, ``The reason why the number of stores continues to decrease is thought to be that the habit of drinking in large groups late at night is changing as the corona crisis continues.This trend is expected to continue, and rents There is a possibility that they will leave urban areas with high prices and change to smaller stores."
New Corona Newly infected people What is the current trend?
Comparing the number of new infections with the new coronavirus on a weekly average, it is 1.08 times nationwide, and has continued to increase for six consecutive weeks.
The average daily number of new infections nationwide was about 87,000, about 6,600 more than last week.
On the other hand, 40 prefectures have more than the previous week, but the pace of increase has slowed in 37 of these prefectures.
*See the end of the article for details.
Influenza cases up from last week, but still low
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of influenza patients reported from about 5,000 medical institutions nationwide in the week until the 20th of this month was 546, an increase of 139 from the previous week.
Influenza is said to enter a "national epidemic season" when the number of patients per week per medical institution exceeds 1 nationwide, but at the moment it is far below 0.11.
Since the spread of the new coronavirus, influenza infection did not spread last year, but in the week until the 20th of this month, patients were reported in 31 prefectures, and the number of patients per medical institution increased. The number is gradually increasing, with ▽ Kyoto Prefecture having 0.55 people, ▽ Osaka Prefecture having 0.51 people, and ▽ Tokyo having 0.30 people.
Professor Kazuhiro Tateda "End-of-year parties increase the risk of infection, take thorough measures"
Professor Kazuhiro Tateda of Toho University, who is a member of the government's subcommittee on measures against the new coronavirus, said about the current infection situation, ``There is a tendency to slow down the increase in the number of infected people nationwide, and we will start this year soon. The risk of an explosive increase like the 6th or 7th wave in summer is decreasing.Since the main infection continues to be the BA.5 of the Omicron stock following the 7th wave, A certain number of people who have that immunity may be suppressing the rapid increase."
On top of that, "When the mainstream of infection is replaced by a new mutant virus, the possibility of a rapid increase will increase. In the United States, the Omicron strain 'BQ.1' is the mainstream, but due to the relaxation of border measures, Japan It has been brought in and found in various places, so it is necessary to keep an eye on how it spreads over the next few weeks."
In addition, regarding Shionogi Pharmaceutical's new corona treatment drug, which was urgently approved on the 22nd of this month, "It is a drug that can be used by people who are not at risk of becoming seriously ill, and the approval is important in terms of having a wide range of treatment options. In Japan, the widespread use of anti-influenza drugs in general outpatient clinics has helped keep the number of deaths from influenza low, and it is hoped that this drug will lead to such medical care even in the case of COVID-19. We still don't know the true ability of the device, and it will be important for doctors in the field to devise ways to use it effectively."
Regarding future measures, he said, ``Although the pace of increase in the number of infected people is slowing down, the number of deaths exceeds 100,000 per day nationwide, and the number of deaths exceeds 100 per day, and even in this state, there are quite a few people. During the year-end and New Year holidays, Christmas, New Year's parties, coming-of-age ceremonies, etc., the risk of infection increases due to the increased opportunities for close contact and eating, and a large wave of infection is formed. Since the fear increases, it is important to reinforce basic measures to prevent further spread of infection, and to vaccinate those who can be vaccinated against the Omicron strain and influenza as soon as possible." increase.
[Details] Weekly average number of new coronavirus infections increased for 6 consecutive weeks
Based on the number of infected people announced by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, NHK summarized the trends in the average number of new infections per week compared to the previous week.
[Nationwide]
Nationwide,
▽ 1.07 times compared to the previous week in the week ending on the 27th of last month, ▽
1.38 times on the 3rd of this
month, ▽ 1.30 times on the 10th of this month, ▽
1.24 times on the 17th of this month,
▽ 24th Up to 1.08 times, it has continued to increase for 6 consecutive weeks, but the pace of increase is slowing down.
The average daily number of new infections nationwide was about 87,000, about 6,600 more than last week.
In 40 prefectures, there were more than the previous week, but the pace of increase has slowed in 37 of these prefectures.
Seven prefectures, Hokkaido, Akita, Yamagata, Shimane, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, and Ehime, remained flat or decreased from the previous week.
[Hokkaido] Hokkaido
has the highest number of infected people per population,
▽ 1.23 times the previous week in the week until the 10th of this month,
▽ 1.23 times this month on the 17th, and has continued to increase for 6 consecutive weeks. However,
it decreased to 0.93 times until the 24th.
The number of new infections per day is about 7747, and the number of infected people per 100,000 population is 1037.93.
[1 city and 3 prefectures]
Tokyo is
▽ 1.41 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of this
month, ▽ 1.25 times the previous week on the 17th of this month,
▽ 1.06 times by the 24th, and the number of new infections per day is about 8770 people.
In Kanagawa Prefecture , the number of new infections per day was
1.42 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.27 times the 17th of this month,
and 1.10 times the number until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 5671. I'm here.
In Saitama Prefecture
, the number of new infections per day was about 4487, with ▽
1.35 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of this
month, ▽ 1.29 times for the 17th of this month, and ▽ 1.07 times for the 24th.
I'm here.
In Chiba Prefecture , the number of new infections per day was
1.27 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.36 times the 17th of this month,
and 1.14 times the number until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 3458. I'm here.
[Kansai]
Osaka Prefecture is
▽ 1.13 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of this
month, ▽ 1.16 times the previous week on the 17th of this month,
▽ 1.10 times by the 24th, and the number of new infections per day is about 4164. has become a person
In Kyoto Prefecture
, the number of new infections per day was
1.28 times that of the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.14 times for the 17th of this month, and 1.13 times for the 24th.
I'm here.
In Hyogo Prefecture
, the week until the 10th of this month was 1.16 times the previous week,
▽ 17th of this month was 1.16 times, and
▽ was 1.10 times until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 2334. I'm here.
[Tokai]
In Aichi Prefecture , the number of new infections per day was
1.35 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.29 times for the 17th of this month,
and 1.13 times for the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 5425. I'm here.
In Gifu Prefecture
, the week until the 10th of this month was 1.33 times the previous week,
▽ 17th of this month was 1.31 times, and
▽ was 1.06 times until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 1723. I'm here.
In Mie Prefecture
, the number of new infections per day was
1.40 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.24 times the 17th of this month, and 1.22 times the number until the 24th.
I'm here.
[Other regions] In
Miyagi Prefecture
, the number of new infections per day was ▽
1.46 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of this
month, ▽ 1.27 times the previous week on the 17th, and ▽ 1.17 times until the 24th.
It is about 2994 people.
In Hiroshima Prefecture , the number of new infections per day was
1.43 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.19 times the 17th of this month,
and 1.15 times the number until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 2763. I'm here.
In Fukuoka Prefecture , the number of new infections per day was
1.29 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of
this month, 1.27 times the 17th of this month,
and 1.06 times the number until the 24th, and the number of new infections per day was about 2178. I'm here.
Okinawa prefecture
▽ 1.06 times the previous week for the week until the 10th of this
month, ▽ 1.02 times for the 17th of this month,
▽ 1.17 times for the 24th, and the number of new infections per day is about 342.