November 30, 2020
TMG Novel Coronavirus Disease Task Force

^{We have started new support programs in light of the novel coronavirus disease for expectant and nursing mothers.}
We will subsidize charges for prepartum virus testing and provide consultation support for infected pregnant women.

Expectant and nursing mothers are worried about their health and the health of their unborn or newborn baby because their daily lives are under restrictions due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has started providing subsidies for virus testing for pregnant women who wish to receive prepartum virus testing. For expectant and nursing mothers with a confirmed infection of COVID-19, we provide support, such as the visit of a specialist or consultation over the telephone if they wish in order to reduce their concerns before and after childbirth.

1 Who can apply and what kind of support it is

(1) Subsidies for virus testing

a. Who is eligible?

Expectant mothers who meet all the following conditions and wish to get tested

• Persons living in Tokyo (including those who will give birth in their hometowns located in other municipalities).
• Persons with no suspicious symptoms of the virus, such as fever.(*)
• Persons who have not received subsidies for virus testing under this program or other similar programs (including those by other local public bodies) in the past.
  * Persons who have some symptoms, such as fever, or persons who have no symptoms but whose doctor recommends testing are not eligible for this subsidy program. Please consult with your primary doctor or the consultation center for the novel coronavirus disease.

b. Period

From Thursday, September 10, 2020 to Wednesday, March 31, 2021
(Tests performed during the above period are subject to the subsidy program.)

c. Amount of subsidy

The testing charge for an eligible person who undergoes novel coronavirus testing before childbirth (once only, up to 20,000 yen)

d. How to use the support

Pregnant women who wish to get tested should first of all consult with their primary maternity hospital. The standard time for testing is before childbirth (around the 36th week of pregnancy), but the timing may change based on the judgment of the obstetrician Testing should be performed in your primary maternity hospital or one of the registered testing medical facilities appointed by TMG.

(2) Accompanying support (consultations in person or via telephone)

a. Who is eligible?

Novel coronavirus infected expectant and nursing mothers residing in Tokyo who wish to have consultation support. (Those who do not use the (1) subsidy program for virus testing are also eligible.)

b. Period

From Thursday, September 10, 2020 to Wednesday, March 31, 2021

c. Content of support

Expectant and nursing mothers can consult about various concerns and problems in a visit with a specialist or on the telephone, and have technical care or advice regarding childcare.

d. How to use the support

Please contact the section stated in 2 for inquiries.

2 For inquiries

(1) Subsidy program for virus testing

Contact your primary maternity hospital.
* If you give birth in a hospital in your hometown in another municipality, and get tested in that municipality, you need to apply for the subsidy in person. For details, please contact Mother and Child Health personnel at the Child and Family Support Section, Declining Birth Rate Countermeasures Division, Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health.

• Tel: 03-5320-4372 (Open: From 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, Japanese only)
• E-mail: S0000612(at)section.metro.tokyo.jp
  ※To prevent spam mail, we have altered the e-mail address. Please replace (at) with the @ symbol.

(2) Accompanying support

a. Applicable for those who reside in Tokyo special wards, Hachioji City, and Machida City

Please contact the public health center, etc. of the ward or city you reside in.

b. Persons who reside in other wards/cities than those mentioned above

Please contact Mother and Child Health personnel at the Child and Family Support Section, Declining Birth Rate Countermeasures Division, Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health.

• Tel: 03-5320-4368 (Open: From 9:00 to 17:00 on weekdays, Japanese only)
• E-mail: S0000612(at)section.metro.tokyo.jp
  ※To prevent spam mail, we have altered the e-mail address. Please replace (at) with the @ symbol.

* For details, please see the website of the Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health (Japanese).

3 Reference 1 (Pregnancy consultations)

A Pregnancy Consultation Hotline has been set up by TMG. Nurses and other specialists provide consultations about pregnancy and childbirth on the telephone or via e-mail. They give consultations about general problems concerning pregnancy and childbirth, and also answer questions about the novel coronavirus disease as it affects expectant mothers. Please feel free to access this service.

• Tel: 03-5339-1133 (Japanese only)
  (Open: Monday through Sunday from 10:00 to 22:00 (Closed on Jan. 1))
• E-mail: Contact through the consultation form shown on the following website.

* For details, please see the website of the Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health (Japanese).

4 Reference 2 (Consultations about daily life concerning COVID-19 in multiple languages)

Tokyo Coronavirus Support Center for Foreign Residents (TOCOS)

• Tel: 0120-296-004 (Open: Monday through Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00)

You can consult about COVID-19-related matters in daily life in 14 languages.
The center provides interpretation support when you call a municipality, medical institution, public health center or consultation center. You can use interpretation support when you want to consult about No. 2 or No. 3 mentioned above in a language other than Japanese.

* Attachment For expectant mothers who are worried about the novel coronavirus infection.(PDF:210KB)

* Attachment We provide care and consultations by specialists.(PDF:131KB)

※ This press release is also available in other languages. (日本語／English／中文／한국어)

For inquiries (Japanese only)

Child and Family Support Section, Declining Birth Rate Countermeasures Division, Bureau of Social Welfare and Public Health. Phone: 03-5320-4372