Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced on Friday that he would lower Covid-19’s legal status to seasonal flu status in the spring. A step that comes as somewhat of a surprise, given that the country is currently experiencing a record number of corona deaths. Between 100,000 and 200,000 infections with the pathogen SARS-CoV-2 are also reported daily.
Kishida said he ordered experts and government officials to discuss details of lowering the status of Covid-19. The change would also remove self-isolation rules and allow corona patients to be treated in any hospital, rather than just specialist facilities as is currently the case.
Country is struggling with eighth wave of infections
The surprising move comes as Japan is grappling with its eighth corona wave since the pandemic began three years ago, facing numerous infections and record numbers of Covid deaths. Details are still being worked out, the costs for corona vaccinations will probably be borne by the government for the time being, it is said.
“In order to return to our normal daily lives in Japan while taking measures to adapt to living with the coronavirus, we will consider concrete measures to gradually move to the next step,” said Kishida (pictured below) . The plan was to relax the wearing of face masks and other preventive measures, the prime minister said at a press conference (see video above).
In Japan, Covid-19 – like SARS and tuberculosis (TB) – is currently classified as a class 2 disease, and restrictions on the movement of patients and their close contacts are planned. The now planned reduction to class 5 would mean that these rules will no longer apply, the AP news agency reports.
the change „scheduled for spring“
Lowering the legal status of Covid-19 under the infectious disease law could help free up hospital beds currently reserved for corona patients, Japan’s Health Minister Katsunobu Kato told reporters. He didn’t want to commit to an exact timetable, it would happen “in the spring,” he said.
In the fall, Japan no longer required corona tests from foreign travelers who had been vaccinated against Covid-19 at least three times. The measure was part of a tentative easing of Covid rules in the country, which had previously effectively closed its borders to foreign tourists for some two years.
Deaths currently at record high
According to the Health Ministry, the number of daily deaths was still at a record high of 503 as of Saturday. Experts say the recent increase could be linked to an exacerbation of chronic diseases in elderly patients.
Source: Krone
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