Japan Plans To Burn COVID-19 Status Like Seasonal Flu Starting Spring

Illustration of COVID-19 in Japan. (Wikimedia Commons/nakashi)

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to reduce his COVID-19 status this spring to a 5th grade disease, the same level as seasonal influenza, on Friday.

The move is considered to bring major changes to the pandemic restrictions that have been in place for about three years.

In Japan, COVID-19 is currently categorized as "equivalent to Class 2" and subject to extensive measures, such as limiting the movement of infected people and their close contacts. The measures are stricter than actions against Class 2 infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome or SARS.

It is likely that the decline in ratings will mark a major turning point, towards normalizing social and economic activities in the country and perhaps foreigners could enter Japan without a PCR test or quarantine.

After instructing the relevant ministers to promote reclassification preparations in the spring, PM Kishida told reporters his government would also review the rules for wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

He said the government would "phasely" change measures to deal with the pandemic, so Japan could return to normal, showing medical and financial support borne by taxpayers' money could be cut.

"To further advance efforts to live with Corona and restore Japan to normal circumstances, we will transition various policies and actions to date gradually," said PM Kishida, as quoted by CNN.

Separately, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on its website says influenza or the common cold and COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease with similar symptoms, but caused by different viruses, requires testing to confirm diagnosis.

According to the CDC, the risk of death or hospitalization from COVID-19 is greatly reduced for most people, due to high vaccination rates and population immunity from previous infections.

However, the World Health Organization (WHO) still lists the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic, reaffirming in its latest update, recommendations for people to wear masks after being exposed recently or in close contact with COVID-19, and for "Anyone in a crowded, closed place, or bad ventilation room" to do the same.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week asked the government to continue to share data on coronavirus sequencing, as it remains important to detect and track the emergence and spread of new variants.

"It is understandable that countries cannot maintain the same levels of testing and sequencing as they did during the Omicron peak. At the same time, the world cannot turn a blind eye and hopes this virus will disappear. It will not," said Dr. Tedros.

In Japan, by lowering legal status to Class 5 under infectious disease laws, a seven-day quarantine period for people infected with the virus and five days for people who have been in close contact with COVID-19 patients will be abolished.

The government will also stop paying medical expenses to treat and treat infected people. COVID-19 patients can then receive medical treatment at regular hospitals, compared to currently appointed medical facilities.

If COVID-19 is brought down, PM Kishida's government will only receive case data from designated medical facilities, such as seasonal influenza, to understand the trend of infection.