"Prevention measures" applied at the stage when the number of infected people is the most serious Nearly half

"Priority measures such as spread prevention" are said to be applied by the stage when the infection status of the new coronavirus is "Stage 3", but among the prefectures to which it was applied, the number of infected people is the most serious "Stage 4". Nearly half of the cases have been applied since the considerable stage.

Experts point out that it is important to take strong measures as soon as possible before the rapid expansion.

"Priority measures such as spread prevention" will spread the infection at an early stage when it is recognized that there is a risk of the spread of the infection and there is a risk of hindering the provision of medical care before the state of emergency is declared. It is supposed to be applied to prevent the infection, and it is recommended to apply it when the infection status is "Stage 3" or when the infection spreads rapidly locally even in "Stage 2".

The index for stage judgment is a guide, and it is said that the national and local governments should comprehensively judge the index of infection and medical conditions, but of the 17 prefectures where priority measures have been applied or have been decided, Hokkaido , Miyagi prefecture, Gifu prefecture, Osaka prefecture, Okinawa prefecture, and Gunma prefecture, Ishikawa prefecture, Kumamoto prefecture, which were decided to be applied on the 14th, the number of infected people per 100,000 people per week is the most serious. It was applied after it became equivalent to "Stage 4".

Furthermore, in Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures, where it was decided that an emergency declaration would be issued without the priority measures being applied, the number of infected people has already reached "Stage 4", and experts said that the infection was sudden. He points out that it is important to take strong measures such as priority measures as soon as possible before the expansion.

Professor Koji Wada of the International University of Health and Welfare, who is a member of the expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, said, "The speed of spread has increased due to the mutant virus, and even if we take strong measures at the timing that was previously suppressed, it will not be settled. It is necessary to make a decision on countermeasures with this in mind. "

There is also a difference in infection status depending on the timing of measures

Osaka

In Osaka Prefecture, where the first rapid spread of infection occurred in the fourth wave of infection, the number of infected people per week increased 1.66 times that of the previous week on March 26, which is equivalent to "Stage 3" per 100,000 people. On March 31st, the number of people increased sharply to 2.34 times that of the previous week, exceeding 25 people per 100,000 people, which is equivalent to "Stage 4".

Priority measures such as spread prevention were applied from the 5th of last month, 5 days later, and then continued to increase until the state of emergency was declared on the 25th, up to 90.16 per 100,000 on the 2nd of this month. increased.

The number of infected people per week began to decline compared to the previous week after the 4th of this month, about a month after the application of the priority measures and 9 days after the state of emergency was declared. ..

Hokkaido

In Hokkaido, where priority measures were applied to Sapporo City from the 9th of this month, the number of infected people per week increased by 1.43 times from the previous week on the 23rd of last month, which is equivalent to "Stage 3" per 100,000 people. On the 2nd of this month, the infection accelerated to 1.58 times that of the previous week, and the number of people per 100,000 exceeded 25, which is equivalent to "Stage 4".

The situation worsened even after the priority measures were applied, with 712 infected people reported on the 13th, the highest number ever on the 13th, 2.09 times the number of infected people per week, and a population of 10 Even per million people, it is 61.49 people.

Capital Area

On the other hand, the trends are different in 1 metropolitan area and 3 prefectures in the Tokyo metropolitan area.

Of these, the number of infected people per 100,000 people in Tokyo has exceeded 15 people, which is equivalent to "Stage 3", since the end of March, and the number has continued to increase about 1.2 times that of the previous week. The priority measures were applied on the 12th of last month, before that.

After that, on the 14th of last month, the number of people per 100,000 was 25, which is equivalent to "Stage 4", and on the 21st of last month, it was 1.34 times that of the previous week.

A state of emergency was declared on the 25th, and the number of infected people is still very high at around 1000 people a day, but so far, it is twice as much as the previous week seen in Osaka etc. It has not reached the rapid spread of infection that exceeds.

Furthermore, in Kanagawa, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures, priority measures were applied on the 20th of last month at the stage of reaching or not reaching 15 people per 100,000 people, which corresponds to "Stage 3", and the number is increasing in the next 10 days to 2 weeks. So far, it has slowed down to 25 per 100,000 in Stage 4.

Expert "Early judgment and countermeasures are becoming more important"

Regarding the timing of taking measures such as "priority measures to prevent spread," Koji Wada, a member of the expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, said, "To apply the priority measures, first coordinate with the municipalities in the prefecture. It takes time to decide the policy to request to the country, hold a subcommittee in the country, decide the application in a few days, etc. It is unavoidable because it is necessary to consider financial support for loss as a measure to limit private rights. Although there are some parts, it is important for each local government to simulate the situation about two weeks ahead, decide whether to request it as soon as possible, and consider the contents of specific measures. "

On top of that, "Even if you apply the priority measures, some people may think that there is no effect such as a state of emergency after that, but if you apply it at an early timing, you can expect the effect of preventing a large expansion nationwide. It has been replaced by a highly infectious mutant virus, and even if countermeasures are taken at the right time in the past, there is a possibility that the spread cannot be suppressed. Early judgment and early countermeasures are becoming more important. Should be. "