Photo/Illutration A video tweeted by the Aichi prefectural federation of unions for those in the medical and elderly care sectors (Yo Noguchi)

For medical care professionals working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic, a request for 500 nurses to be on hand for the Tokyo Olympics this summer was the last straw.

The request to the Japanese Nursing Association (JNA) by the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee met with a swift response.

The Japan Federation of Medical Worker’s Unions (Iroren) released a statement April 30 demanding an immediate review of the request.

The Aichi prefectural federation of unions for those in the medical and elderly care sectors (Aichiken Iroren) tweeted its opposition to the request on April 26 and the hashtag had received more than 240,000 tweets by April 30.

Susumu Morita, Iroren secretary-general, issued a statement casting doubt on the likelihood of the health crisis being brought under control by the start of the Tokyo Olympics.

“I feel strong anger at the persistence to hold the Olympics, even if that means sacrificing the lives and health of patients and nurses,” the statement said. 

On its own Twitter account, Aichiken Iroren tweeted, “Nurses should be dispatched to areas with insufficient nurses to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Another tweet called for more measures to deal with the pandemic rather than go ahead with the Olympics.

Prefectural federation officials said many medical institutions in Aichi Prefecture face a nursing shortage due to the fact that each COVID-19 patient with serious symptoms requires more intensive care from the staff.

In addition, a number of nurses who contracted the novel coronavirus during the course of their work decided to quit, further exacerbating the situation.

Officials said some nurses are being asked to work seven or eight night shifts a month, which is much higher than public guidelines. A number of expectant nurses have also been asked to take the night shift.

“The feeling among those at the front lines is that losing even a single staff member would be disastrous,” said Ayako Yano, a prefectural federation official. “Simply presenting a 500 figure shows they have no idea what the actual situation is like. Those at the front lines are furious.”

Toshiko Fukui, the JNA president, met with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on April 30. She later told reporters, “If they are going to go ahead with (the Tokyo Olympics), every effort should be made from now toward that goal.”

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