COVID testing!

Er, today’s topic is completely off from the theme of this blog, but I WANT TO tell you. Naomi has got a chance to do COVID-19 testing, not because I felt sick. As you may know, Japan is impressively behind the G7 trend for testing and vaccinating against COVID. The authority is really, truly, under the huge pressure to do something. (Er, just for convenience, let’s leave the performance of the PM or people of such position, for now). One day, I chatted with a person from the City of Yokohama. He was stressed out dealing with so many “comments” about city’s deed for the matter. “Yes, we honestly understand the concern of the people of Yokohama. We’re also citizen of Yokohama facing exactly the same worry of COVID. But we’re only human and a day has simply 24 hours. We need to sleep, you know? Those who SNS about us may sit in a comfy room with enough air circulation. We, every day, are sorting out the crowd visiting the city hall due to the pandemic. Some of them even don’t bother wearing masks. Who’s in riskier situation!?” Poor guys. Oh, by the way, he’s also a forest volunteer entering one of Yokohama’s Citizen Forests every weekend. Especially now forests are his refuge, I guess.

Naomi still doesn’t know the schedule for vaccination of our age group. I think I am careful not to contract the disease … the uneasiness remains. Then, one day, I happened to pass by the main entrance for Sogo Department Store in Yokohama Station. A long line of desks was dealing with a queue. What is it? I wonder. “We’re giving COVID-testing service for free! Are you interested in?” Oh YES, of course! So, I registered myself at Android application HELPO provided by Cabinet Secretariat and Kanagawa Prefecture and received a testing kit. The first thing for the next morning, I collected my saliva (it required A LOT) and sent it to a designated labo for testing.

It was just a couple of days ago. I haven’t received the result yet ... I keep crossing my fingers seriously … Will we have Olympics and Paralympics …? A short notice. Naomi will be a field cast (Olympics/Paralympics volunteer) this summer as a NOC/NPC assistant serving for the athletes coming to Japan ... I don’t know yet to which country I’ll be assigned. I don’t think during the Games I can visit a forest to tell my adventure. I’m now accumulating the draft of posts for this blog as much as possible. This summer my post will report you my experience this spring, and there will be several weeks I cannot update my post. I appreciate your understanding … All depend on the Japanese situation with COVID-19, though ...

If you find a problem in the greenery of north-half of Yokohama, please make a contact with

Office for the Park Greeneries in the North
北部公園緑地事務所
Yokohama Municipal Government Creative Environment Policy Bureau
横浜市環境創造局
Phone: 045-311-2016
FAX: 045-316-8420

Niiharu Administrative Office / Satoyama Exchange Center
新治管理事務所・里山交流センター
Phone: 045-931-4947
Fax: 045-937-0898
Email: info@niiharu.jp
http://www.niiharu.jp/