Photo/Illutration Sayuri Yamaji, a Tsu city assembly member who was infected with the novel coronavirus, talks about her experience in the city's Nishi-Marunouchi district on Dec. 12. (Yosuke Sasaki)

TSU, Mie Prefecture--After calling for an end to bullying over possible COVID-19 cases, Sayuri Yamaji, a city assemblywoman here, had to deal directly with another social problem associated with the pandemic.

“Rumors, rumors, rumors,” Yamaji, 50, said. “I just couldn’t believe they came up with so many unfounded things.”

She felt she had done everything right after becoming infected with the novel coronavirus but fell victim to a prevailing lack of compassion shown during the health crisis.

During a city assembly session in September last year, Yamaji noted that anxiety was increasing among students and their guardians that they could be viewed as infected and become targets of bullying if school personnel had come in close contact with novel coronavirus carriers.

She urged the city assembly to take steps to prevent such situations from happening.

The next day, Yamaji suddenly felt lethargic in her home, but she thought it was caused by her exhaustion from work. At night, she developed a headache and her body aches became severe.

Although she thought she just had a cold because of her persistent mild fever, she took a polymerase chain reaction test just in case.

She tested positive for COVID-19.

Yamaji said she had no idea where she could have contracted the virus.

Still feeling ill, Yamaji prepared for her hospital stay and explained the situation to her family. She also recalled the places she had visited and anyone who might have had close contact with her after she felt sick.

But she thought her top priority was to prevent herself from spreading the illness.

If she remained anonymous as the 466th case of COVID-19 in the prefecture, and only her basic information, such as age group, gender, municipality of her residence and occupation, was announced, another Tsu city assemblywoman in her 50s could have been mistakenly identified as the patient.

Therefore, Yamaji did not hesitate to announce her real name.

Soon after her announcement, Yamaji saw rumors spreading on social media that she became infected at a restaurant and that she visited a live music club.

She did have a discussion at the restaurant with its owner for about 10 minutes and attended a meeting on support measures for musical events. But she didn't eat or drink at the restaurant or visit any music venues.

Yamaji felt indignant about the out-of-control groundless rumors, and she felt sorry for restaurant operators and event organizers affected by these untruths.

Although she tried not to check social media, worried acquaintances contacted her to warn her of online comments.

As she recovered from the disease, the rumors that reached her decreased. However, it is impossible to erase all rumors, even if completely false, from the internet.

The assemblywoman said she feels that compassion for others is essential to prevent such troubles from occurring.

“Can you spread groundless rumors about your own family or someone you care about?” Yamaji asked. “How would you feel if someone does that to you?”

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