Seki Naomi, Mikami Ai, Kokufu Takako, Kusaka Tazuru, Yamaguchi Kayoko, Takahashi Chika, Izuno Takashi, Saito Tomoya
Infectious Disease Countermeasures Division, Ota City Public Health Center.
Center for Emergency Preparedness and Response, National Institute of Infectious Diseases.
Nihon Koshu Eisei Zasshi. 2025 Jan 9;71(12):775-786. doi: 10.11236/jph.24-015. Epub 2024 Sep 13.
Objective Ota City, located in southeastern Tokyo, including Haneda Tokyo International Airport, has numerous scattered lodging facilities. Shortly after the first case of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 (Omicron) variant was reported abroad, the Japanese government strengthened border control measures, including quarantine procedures and public health official involvement, for incoming travelers. This study aims to propose effective and efficient border control measures to prevent future outbreaks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.Methods Border control measures implemented between November 2021 and mid-January 2022 were analyzed from three perspectives: chronological changes in government notifications, the situation of in-flight contacts and Omicron cases, and the support system for coronavirus-disease 2019 control department of the Ota City Public Health Center. Additionally, a questionnaire survey was conducted among public health centers with jurisdiction over the top four international airports. This survey aimed to assess the effectiveness of the support system, evaluate cooperation with related organizations, identify common issues faced by public health concerns, and gather suggestions for improvements in future border control measures.Results The definition and treatment of in-flight contacts of Omicron-positive individuals were initially outlined on November 30, 2021, and underwent frequent revisions until January 14, 2022. Between December 1, 2021, and January 12, 2022, only one Omicron case was identified among the 470 tests conducted on in-flight contacts. However, out of 136 additional domestic specimens collected (including 57 positives for genetic analysis), 40 were confirmed Omicron positive. The results of the questionnaire survey across the four public health centers largely mirrored the issues and suggestions identified by Ota City officials. A significant portion of these issues arose from managing temporary non-Japanese residents staying near international airports.Conclusion Border control measures should be implemented to delay the domestic spread of the virus. In this reason, it is crucial to avoid placing an undue burden on public health officials responsible for handling domestic infections. Since response policies and target definitions may need to adapt to unknown pathogens, they may be changed frequently, baffling the officials; however, a system for collecting real-time data from frontline sites and making evidence-based decisions is essential. Additionally, deploying liaisons from national and prefectural governments to focal points of emergency response would strengthen the support system by promoting unified instructions and information sharing.
目的 大田市位于东京东南部，包括羽田东京国际机场，有众多分散的住宿设施。在国外报告首例严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2 B.1.1.529（奥密克戎）变种病例后不久，日本政府加强了对入境旅客的边境管制措施，包括检疫程序和公共卫生官员的参与。本研究旨在提出有效且高效的边境管制措施，以预防未来新出现和再次出现的传染病爆发。
方法 从三个角度分析了2021年11月至2022年1月中旬实施的边境管制措施：政府通知的时间变化、飞行中接触者和奥密克戎病例的情况，以及大田市公共卫生中心2019冠状病毒病防控部门的支持系统。此外，对管辖四大国际机场的公共卫生中心进行了问卷调查。该调查旨在评估支持系统的有效性，评估与相关组织的合作，确定公共卫生问题面临的常见问题，并收集未来边境管制措施改进的建议。
结果 2021年11月30日首次概述了奥密克戎阳性个体飞行中接触者的定义和处理方式，并在2022年1月14日前频繁修订。在2021年12月1日至2022年1月12日期间，对飞行中接触者进行的470次检测中仅发现1例奥密克戎病例。然而，在另外收集的136份国内样本（包括57份用于基因分析的阳性样本）中，40份被确认为奥密克戎阳性。四个公共卫生中心的问卷调查结果在很大程度上反映了大田市官员确定的问题和建议。这些问题很大一部分源于管理住在国际机场附近的临时非日本居民。
结论 应实施边境管制措施以延缓病毒在国内的传播。因此，避免给负责处理国内感染的公共卫生官员带来过重负担至关重要。由于应对政策和目标定义可能需要适应未知病原体，可能会频繁更改，使官员们感到困惑；然而，建立一个从一线站点收集实时数据并做出基于证据的决策的系统至关重要。此外，部署国家和地方政府的联络人员到应急响应的重点地区，将通过促进统一指示和信息共享来加强支持系统。
