Temporary suspension of operations at Canon Inc. headquarters and certain offices (Updated: April 8, 2020)
TOKYO, April 6, 2020—The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to rapidly spread throughout Tokyo and other large urban areas. Amid this situation, our highest priorities are to protect the health of our employees and their families, neighboring families and businesses, as well as customers and business partners, and to help prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus. Therefore, Canon Inc. announces that the following offices will temporarily suspend operations from Tuesday, April 7 through Wednesday, May 6.
Notice to our Customers regarding closure of California, New Jersey, Illinois, and Hawaii Service Facilities:
Due to the “stay at home” directives from authorities in California,
New Jersey, Illinois, and Hawaii, as well as local “Shelter in Place”
orders, our Canon service facilities in those states are temporarily
closed until further notice. Products needing repair can be directed to
our Factory Service Center in Newport News, Virginia. Please note that
walk-in service is not available at this location. We apologize for
any inconvenience and delays that may occur during this time. We
greatly appreciate your patience and understanding.
The spread of COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving situation that is of great
concern to everyone. Canon’s commitment is to take proactive and
proportional steps in accordance with all recommended procedures and
protocols as advised by the CDC, the United States Government, and
state, regional and local public health agencies.
Again, we sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as we
continue to monitor the ongoing situation and follow the advice and
guidance of federal and state authorities. The health and well-being of
our customers, clients, and employees remain our top priority during
this difficult time. As conditions change, we will take recommended and
appropriate steps to restore and continue the excellent service that
you have come to expect from Canon USA, Inc. For updates and other
information regarding COVID-19 measures, please visit our web site: https://www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/about/to-our-customers
Canon Medical to Commence Development of a Rapid Genetic Testing System for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19)
MELVILLE, NY, March 19, 2020 – Canon
U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that Canon
Medical Systems Corporation (Canon Medical) announced the start of development
of a rapid genetic testing system for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), reaffirming
Canon Medical’s commitment to the basic research and development of rapid
diagnostic test kits. This project is part of a research program focusing on
the development of diagnostic methods for COVID-19 led by the Japan Agency for
Medical Research1.
Canon
Medical was selected to participate in this research program in cooperation
with Nagasaki University. This was in recognition of Canon Medical’s strength
in leveraging its technologies in delivering practical solutions to support
medical emergencies, notably by supplying Ebola rapid test kits to the Republic
of Guinea in 20152, donating Ebola rapid test kits to the Democratic
Republic of the Congo in 2019, and through the manufacturing approval and sale
of the Genelyzer KIT (a reagent kit for Zika virus RNA testing) in 20183.
The test and the reagents being developed for COVID-19 RNA testing is based on the LAMP method4 developed by Eiken Chemical Co., Ltd., and are to be used with a compact isothermal amplified gene fluorescent detector manufactured by Canon Medical to detect the presence of virus. Compared to the conventional test method of real-time PCR, the LAMP method allows for detection of the virus to be performed more easily and quickly, which makes it suitable for testing in local areas where infection is prevalent.
As you know, we have been carefully monitoring coronavirus developments both domestically and globally over the past few weeks.
In the interest of addressing the health and safety concerns of our stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry, we have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April. We are currently considering a number of potential alternatives to create the best possible experience for our community.
This was not an easy decision. Fortunately, we did not have to make this decision alone, and are grateful to our NAB Show community for engaging with us as we grappled with the rapidly-evolving situation. This Show is as much yours as it is ours, and it is important to us that we move forward together.
For nearly 100 years, NAB Show has provided superior value and the best possible experience for exhibitors and attendees. We knew that if we could not deliver on those expectations, we would not move forward. More importantly, keeping the community safe and healthy is NAB’s highest priority; therefore, we are deferring to the developing consensus from public health authorities on the challenges posed by coronavirus.
We are still weighing the best potential path forward, and we ask you for your patience as we do so. We are committed to exploring all possible alternatives so that we can provide a productive setting where the industry can engage with the latest technology, hear from industry thought leaders and make the game-changing connections that drive our industry forward.
I want to stress that despite our disappointment at how this year’s Show has been impacted by global public health concerns, we are more excited than ever about the future of NAB Show and our relationship with you.
We are grateful for each and every member of our Show community. It is your passion for the industry that makes NAB Show a success year after year, and it is that same passion that will drive us into the future as we look ahead to new possibilities later this year and beyond.
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