Public Service Announcement for Yokohama City

25th January 2023

This week's edition is on measures against influenza and norovirus.

In Yokohama City, influenza season started on 28th December.

Influenza symptoms typically affect the entire body and can include fatigue and aching joints in addition to the sudden onset of a fever over 38℃, coughing, a sore throat, and headaches.

[To prevent catching it]

• After arriving home, you should wash your hands for at least 20 seconds.

Keep rooms humidified.

Get enough sleep and eat balanced meals.

• Those with underlying medical conditions such as asthma, heart disease, or diabetes, as well as pregnant women, infants and the elderly are prone to symptoms becoming severe. Please take solid measures to prevent infection.

[To prevent infecting others]

If you get influenza, take time off work or school.

You could still be contagious even after your temperature has gone down, so recuperate at home for 3 days after your fever has subsided.

Infectious gastroenteritis caused by norovirus is also prevalent in winter. Norovirus infection causes symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain and fever. Even after the symptoms have gone, the virus will still be present in feces for between a week and a month.

[To prevent catching it]

When preparing food, make sure it’s cooked through. Norovirus becomes non-infectious if it is heated for over 90 seconds at 85-90°C. 

Wash your hands regularly.

Using chlorine bleach as a disinfectant is effective against norovirus.

Let’s get through this winter by taking appropriate measures against infection.