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Japan: Lowers the threat level of COVID-19 to flu level

Posted on 09 Month 05 2023

- On May 8, Japan officially reduced the legal level of COVID-19 warning to the level of seasonal flu and relaxed intensive medical regulations for this disease.

According to Kyodo news agency (english.kyodonews.net), on April 27, the Japanese Government made the above decision after assessing the results of the implementation of measures to prevent COVID-19, the economic situation. and the meeting of the Expert Council of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan.

With this decision, the COVID-19 epidemic is included in group 5 in the list of infectious diseases. This is a big change for Japan after 3 years of dealing with COVID-19.

In Japan, infectious diseases are classified into 5 groups, of which the most dangerous infectious diseases are plague and Ebola (classified in group 1), tuberculosis, SARS (group 2), cholera (group 3). ), yellow fever (group 4) and seasonal flu (group 5).

The reclassification of COVID-19 to Group 5 means that decisions about COVID-19 prevention will now be up to individuals and businesses, starting today, May 8.

Previously, from 2020, the COVID-19 epidemic was classified by Japan as "a special public health threat, equivalent to or more serious than group 2".

Under the new decision, the Government also removed most guidelines for a 7-day quarantine period for those who tested positive and 5 days for those who had been in close contact with an infected person.

The government will also no longer have the power to recommend hospitalization for someone with COVID-19 or declare a state of emergency because of the disease.

Japanese residents will have to pay for outpatient care and hospitalization related to CIVID-19 (expensive treatment is still subsidized). COVID-19 patients are being treated at regular hospitals instead of designated facilities as before.

Notwithstanding the above decision, the readiness of the health care system to respond to future outbreaks of COVID-19 has also been taken into account. Accordingly, Japanese health organizations can still respond appropriately if there is an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases.

Regarding the COVID-19 epidemic, on May 5, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) issued a statement that "COVID-19 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern". "./.

* SOURCE: https://baochinhphu.vn/nhat-ban-ha-muc-do-de-doa-cua-covid-19-xuong-ngang-benh-cum-102230508125108842.htm

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