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On November 21, 2020, the Prime Minister held the 47th meeting of the Novel Coronavirus Response Headquarters at the Prime Minister’s Office.

At the meeting, the participants discussed the response to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Following the discussion, the Prime Minister said,

"The novel coronavirus infection situation continues to require maximum vigilance, with the daily number of newly confirmed cases marking a record high. The meeting of the Subcommittee on Novel Coronavirus Disease Control held yesterday recommended that the Government implement over a short period of time intensive measures focused on situations where the risk of infections is high in order to avoid having medical services overstretched. Based on their recommendations, we will expeditiously implement effective measures based on our past findings.

The pillar of our response is to strengthen our measures for preventing the spread of infections. In areas where the spread of infections has reached a certain level, taking into consideration such situations, we will collaborate with prefectural governors and implement stronger measures.

Specifically, regarding the Go To Travel campaign, we will implement measures such as suspending new travel reservations to areas where infections are spreading. Furthermore, with respect to the Go To Eat campaigns, we will request relevant parties to consider suspending the issuance of new meal vouchers or refraining from accepting reward points. Also, we have already made arrangements to provide financial support through an additional allocation of 50 billion yen of the Extraordinary Regional Revitalization Grant when respective prefectures request restaurants to shorten business hours.

In order to protect the lives of the people by preventing patients from developing severe symptoms, when a patient tests positive at medical or day-care facilities, we will immediately screen all the patients, residents, and employees of those facilities, with the government bearing the costs.

I ask each Minister to exert every effort to implement these, closely collaborating with local authorities, so as to protect the lives and health of the people.

Amidst this situation where the spread of infections continues, the cooperation of the public is essential to avoid a situation in which stronger measures over socioeconomic activities need to be imposed. I strongly request once gain the public to thoroughly exercise basic preventive measures, such as wearing masks even when a meal is underway, washing hands, and avoiding the 3Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings), practices whose effectiveness have all been proven scientifically."