Japan Compiles Measures for Potential Dual Outbreak of COVID and Flu

Hello everyone. Welcome to "Learn Japanese from the News."

Thanks for joining us.

In this program, we'll learn Japanese and about the country through Japanese news stories.

Our headline for today is:

"Japan Compiles Measures for Potential Dual Outbreak of COVID and Flu."

Today we're talking about hospital visits.

But before we go to the news clip, let's go over some words to listen for.

"shingata korona."

Covid-19.

"infuruenza."

influenza.

"hatsunetsu-gairai."

fever clinic.

"koogen-kensa."

antigen test.

OK, let's watch the news clip.

The health ministry is concerned
that there will be

a simultaneous outbreak
of COVID-19 and influenza.

Accordingly, they are considering
ways to prevent crowding

at fever clinics
that take in COVID patients.

They urge urges older adults

and other people at high risk
of getting severely sick

to visit fever clinics.

But others experiencing a high fever

are encouraged to take
an antigen test at home

before going to the hospital.

If they do not have COVID,
they are advised

to consult a physician
over the phone or online.

People are urged to get
both COVID and flu vaccines.

During the colder months, there's a higher risk of catching a cold or the flu, which can result in fever.

And of course, fever also happens to be an initial symptom of COVID, well, it can make it really tough to distinguish between the two.

Right. Now, let's review some sentences from the story.

(The health ministry) is concerned that there will be a simultaneous outbreak of COVID-19 and influenza.

Now read along with me.

"shingata korona uirusu to infruenza ga utsuru hito ga

onaji toki ni fueru koto o shinpai shiteimasu."

Here, "shingata korona uirusu" refers to COVID-19.

"uirusu" is the Japanese approximation of the English word "virus."

"shingata" in this context refers to a new strain of a disease,

but it can also describe a "new type" or "new model" of an industrial product.

Right. So for example, when automakers unveil their new car models, they're called "shingata no kuruma."

Exactly. All right, let's move on to the following sentence.

They are considering ways to prevent crowding at fever clinics that take in COVID patients.

Now read along with me.

"shingata koronano hito ga iku byooin no hatsunetsu-gairai ga

komanai yoo ni suru hoohoo o kangaeteimasu."

Ahh... "hatsunetsu-gairai." That is a term you hear often these days.

Right, ever since the start of the pandemic.

OK, Let's ask Tokunaga-sensei to break it down for us.

"Hatsunetsu-gairai" refers to
the part of a hospital

where people with a fever
go to receive diagnosis and treatment.

Fever patients are isolated
from others

to prevent an outbreak
of infectious diseases like COVID.

"Hatsunetsu-gairai" combines the words
"hatsunetsu" and "gairai."

"Hatsunetsu" means "to develop a fever."

In Japan, fever is defined as
a body temperature of 37.5℃ or above.

"Normal body temperature"
is "heenetsu."

"Gairai" means "outpatient care,"
which doesn't require hospitalization.

It can also refer to
the "outpatient ward."

Chiara, if you had a health issue or wanted to go to the hospital for a check-up, what would you do?

Well... in the U.S. and Europe, most people have what is called a "primary care doctor" or a "family doctor,"

and that's our first stop when it comes to medical care.

So actually, when I first came to Japan, I wasn't really sure where to go.

Oh really.

So we consulted Professor Takeda Yuko at Juntendo University

for some advice on what we can do to make our doctor's visits as stress-free as possible.

Let's start with the question of where you should go for care.

For common ailments such as headache, nausea, and dizziness,

you want to go to a "kurinikku" or what's called an "iin."

Specifically, you want to look for a sign that says "naika," which means "internal medicine."

I see... and it's true in larger cities you'll see "kurinikku" everywhere — there are specialist clinics like "ganka" and "hifuka."

Right.

"ganka" means "ophthalmology," so that's an eye doctor.

"hifuka" means "dermatology," so that's a skin doctor.

Here in Japan the common practice is to go to a specialist clinic when injured or ill.

So, if you have a good idea of what your issue is, you can go directly to a specialist without going to primary doctor first.

However, if you are going to stay in Japan for a while, it's a good idea to find a doctor you trust and can go to regularly.

Somebody you can talk to about your health issues and who can then give you referrals to a specialist if necessary.

Moving on, the next question is, what should you bring with you?

There are a few things you'll want to have.

The first thing is your "kenkoo-hokenshoo," or "hokenshoo" for short.

As a general rule, all international residents who plan to stay in Japan for longer than three months

are required to join the National Health Insurance Program.

The second thing you want to have with you is a list of your symptoms and information about your medical history.

Preferably in English or translated into Japanese.

And there's actually a very helpful online resource for this.

It's called "tagengo-monshinhyoo" — a "multilingual medical questionnaire."

Make sure your doctor has the information they need to treat you by filling out one of these forms beforehand.

You can indicate your symptoms, past illnesses, and more.

There are several organizations offering templates in multiple languages.

So download the one that's right for you.

And finally, the third thing you want to bring with you is any medications you're on.

In Japanese we say "kusuri."

Yes,"kusuri" can be tricky because medicines are known by different names around the world.

Essential Phrases.

Now, let's ask Tokunaga Sensei to teach us some phrases we should know when going to the doctor.

When you want to explain to a doctor
where you feel pain,

point to where it hurts
and say "Koko ga itai desu."

You don't have to know
the name of the body part.

"Koko ga itai desu."

If you feel nauseous,
say "Hakike ga shimasu."

You can also convey your
physical condition using "shimasu."

For example, "Samuke ga shimasu."
or "Memai ga shimasu."

"Samuke ga shimasu."

Explaining what's wrong when
you're already sick won't be easy.

Be prepared by learning the terms
for symptoms when you are healthy.

Going to the hospital can be stressful experience, especially in a foreign country.

But I think our key takeaway for today is:

"byoojoo o kichinto tsutaeru."

Right. If you can accurately describe your symptoms and concerns,

then your doctor can give you the very best care possible.

OK, That's all for today.

We'll see you next time.

See you soon!