Charity Activities Disrupted By Epidemic
The spread of the coronavirus is disrupting charity activities to help homeless people in Japan.
As the state of emergency persists, more people are losing their jobs. Some found themselves with no place to stay when Internet cafes were closed.
Such people can turn to charity groups that provide food to the needy, including the homeless.
NHK interviewed 30 groups in Tokyo. Fifteen of them said they have suspended or scaled back their activities to prevent the spread of the virus.
They said that, if their facilities are crowded with people, it can raise the risk of infection.
Other groups are providing food to the needy more often than usual, saying a halt in food supply could put them in an even tougher situation.
All those groups are doing whatever they can to prevent infection. Some hand out face masks to people who come to get food, and ask them to maintain a social distance while waiting in line.
Some groups give out meal boxes to be taken away.
Professor Kimura Masato at Takachiho University in Tokyo says the risk of infection is making it difficult for charity groups to provide food to the needy. He is calling for support from the public sector, saying the current situation is almost equivalent to a disaster.
