Japan warned against daytime karaoke sessions.
Japan warned its citizens against daytime karaoke sessions and called for caution from authorities in the country.
In a report on Inquirer, a rash of coronavirus clusters linked to daytime karaoke sessions by the elderly — including several linked to 93 cases in one prefecture — prompted a stern warning and called for caution from authorities.
The recent coronavirus clusters, which were spread across Japan, came as the Tokyo metropolitan area was nearing the planned end of a state of emergency aimed at curbing the latest wave of COVID-19 cases.
Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura said that at least 215 people in the country had recently tested positive in cases linked to daytime karaoke sessions, a pursuit especially popular with the retired and elderly.
Of these, 93 were in Saga prefecture in southwestern Japan with ages ranging from the 50s to the 80s. However, COVID-19 clusters were also found in Chiba and Saitama prefectures, still under a state of emergency set to end on March 21, 2021.
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Many of karaoke establishments in the country featured small rooms lined with sofas in which groups can eat, sing, and talk in privacy for hours.
“We realize that under normal circumstances, karaoke is almost a salon for older people to talk and enjoy themselves, but in the current situation of absolutely trying to prevent infection, these [venues] are rather confined. In my election district there are many places like this—narrow rooms where people are packed in and singing. They have to take thorough steps, including putting up acrylic panels, good ventilation and disinfecting the microphones,” Nishimura said.
Nishimura also called on those in areas still under the state of emergency to refrain from unnecessary trips out of their respective homes.
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