PM to declare emergency but staves off lockdown
‘Need for magic now stronger than ever’
JAPANESE PRIME Minister Shinzo Abe has said he will declare a state of emergency for Tokyo and six other prefectures as early as today to fight the coronavirus outbreak but there will be no hard lockdowns.
Mr Abe also told reporters his government will launch a 108 trillion yen economic stimulus package to help counter the economic impact of the pandemic, including cash payouts to households in need and support to protect businesses and jobs.
The prime minister said experts on a government-commissioned task force urged him to get a state of emergency ready as the Covid-19 outbreak is rapidly expanding in major cities including Tokyo. The state of emergency will cover Tokyo, Osaka, Fukuoka and four other hard-hit prefectures, for about a month.
The prime minister said he will hold a news conference today to explain the state of emergency.
He said the measure is intended to further reinforce social distancing between people to slow the spread of the outbreak.
Tokyo will start transferring patients with no or slight symptoms from hospitals to hotels and other accommodation to make room for an influx of patients with severe symptoms.
DYNAMO HAS said that “now more than ever” people need magic in their lives, after recovering from coronavirus.
The TV magician, from Bradford, revealed last week that he had tested positive.
The 37-year-old was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease in his teens, and was at a higher risk due to the underlying health condition.
Dynamo said he hoped magic offered “a little bit of escapism”.
He told The Big Issue: “Magic was the thing that kept me going when I was younger, and whilst I was in hospital this time as well...
“In some ways, I think a lot of people will be able to relate to my situation more now with what everyone’s going through at the moment.
“Hopefully it will give a little bit of escapism for people who are definitely going to be sick and tired of being stuck indoors,” he added.