Omicron strain, a mutant virus of the new coronavirus that has been confirmed to be infected in 18 prefectures so far.
With the active movement of people and the year-end and New Year holidays, when it is said that the infection is most likely to spread in a year, preparations are being made in various places.
“City-acquired” in a total of 7 prefectures
On the 28th,
▽ for the first time in Tohoku, 1 person in Iwate prefecture
▽
1 person in
Kanagawa prefecture ▽ 1 person in
Chiba prefecture
▽
2 people in Aichi prefecture
▽
4 people in Osaka prefecture
▽
4 people in
Kyoto prefecture
▽ 2 people in Okinawa prefecture of
infection has been confirmed.
Of these, 2 in Aichi prefecture, 3 in Kyoto prefecture, and 1 in Okinawa prefecture are said to have a high possibility of community-acquired infection, and there are 7 prefectures in total where there is a possibility of community-acquired infection. rice field.
In Osaka Prefecture, three out of four people are users of facilities for the elderly, and it is said that the first cluster of Omicron strains occurred in the prefecture.
Governor of Tokyo Koike "New Year's holidays in a tense state"
Governor Koike of Tokyo said, "The community-acquired infection of Omicron strains has been confirmed and the year-end and New Year holidays will be reached. We have to do it, "he said, showing a strong sense of crisis.
On top of that, "We are taking the initiative to strengthen the medical care provision system with a view to the spread of community-acquired infections. Free tests for people who are worried about infection, daily analysis of the infection status, positive people and close contacts We will take seamless measures such as hospitalization and admission adjustment with a sense of crisis. "
Governor Yoshimura of Osaka "Thorough basic measures"
In Osaka prefecture, 23 people were confirmed to be infected with the Omicron strain by the survey up to the 28th, and there are a number of cases that are considered to be community-acquired.
Governor Yoshimura told reporters, "I would like to ask for basic measures on the premise that there is a community-acquired infection of the highly infectious Omicron strain." We called for thorough measures such as wearing masks and having dinner with a small number of people.
On top of that, we urged those who have any symptoms to see the doctor promptly, and those who have no symptoms but are anxious to actively take free tests at the inspection centers set up in various parts of the prefecture.
Omicron strain “Is it a certain scale of infection in the area?”
The expert meeting of the Omicron strain and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare analyzed that there is a possibility that a certain scale of infection has occurred in the area, and that it is a situation that should be expected to spread rapidly in the future.
Although the year-end and New Year holidays have been reached under these circumstances, hospitals and other facilities around the world are still preparing for the year-end and New Year holidays.
1. <Tokyo Sumida Central Hospital> Outpatient fever during the year-end and New Year holidays
During the year-end and New Year holidays from the 29th to the 3rd of next month, Sumida Chuo Hospital, which conducts tests at the outpatient department for fever every day, vaccinated the staff for the third time and coordinated doctors and nurses entering the shift. ..
Before the spread of the new corona, the general medical care was closed during the year-end and New Year holidays, and only emergency patients were treated. about it.
In the hospital, staff members posted a sticker informing them of the response time for fever outpatients during the year-end and New Year holidays, and confirmed how to divide the passage between fever patients and other patients.
Kuniaki Kojima, director of Sumida Chuo Hospital, said, "If the Omicron strain is highly infectious but the symptoms are relatively mild, it is very disadvantageous for us, and we are afraid that it will be overlooked and the infection will spread. To prevent the spread of the infection, I would like you to see the doctor as soon as you feel any change in your physical condition. "
2. <Tokyo Mishuku Hospital> 3rd vaccination urgent response
"Mishuku Hospital" in Meguro-ku, Tokyo, which has accepted patients with moderate disease of the new corona, is rushing to hurry the third vaccination for doctors, nurses, clerical staff, etc. in order to prepare for the spread of the Omicron strain. increase.
The 28th was the last vaccination day of the year at the hospital, and 60 people were vaccinated after a doctor's interview.
With this, 420 people, which is close to 90% of the hospital's medical staff, received the third vaccination, and the interval with the second vaccination was shortened by about one month.
A female physiotherapist in her twenties who was vaccinated on the 28th said, "I can get the vaccine and I can respond with peace of mind from the beginning of the year."
Dr. Toshiro Kondo said, "Since the sixth wave of Omicron strains is approaching, we have proceeded with the schedule to complete the inoculation within the year as much as possible. We would like to fulfill our responsibilities with a perfect system."
3. <Pharmacy in Sumida-ku, Tokyo> Inventory consolidation of antigen test kits
On the other hand, in anticipation of increasing demand for antigen test kits that can test for the new coronavirus at home, pharmacies in Tokyo are making preparations by consolidating inventory at stores that operate up to New Year's Eve.
Antigen test kits for medical use have been specially approved for sale at pharmacies since September, and it is expected that they will be tested at home and if a positive result is obtained, they will go to a medical institution.
At a pharmacy in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, we ordered test kits from stores in areas where the infection situation was relatively calm.
There were no buyers last month, but since the beginning of this month, the number of people who are buying is gradually increasing, which means that we are consolidating our inventory at stores in the Tokyo metropolitan area that are open to New Year's Eve.
Saori Takeda, a pharmacist, said, "I feel that demand is increasing due to the influence of the Omicron strain. Antigen test kits are not suitable for asymptomatic people, and they respond when they are not feeling well or when the amount of virus is increasing. Since it is a thing, it is basic to purchase it in advance. Since the medical institution may be closed during the year-end and New Year, I would like you to use it for self-check, but if you already have symptoms such as fever Please go to a medical institution instead of visiting a pharmacist to buy a test kit. "
Number of new infections “Very low levels are on the rise, especially in urban areas”
According to an expert meeting of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, regarding the current infection status of the new coronavirus, the number of newly infected people is still at a very low level, but the number of infected people is increasing mainly in urban areas. In the area, there is a temporary increase due to the occurrence of clusters at medical institutions and cases of unknown infection route.
Omicron strain “We should expect rapid spread of infection in the future”
Regarding the Omicron strain, infection has been confirmed in multiple regions in Japan, and there are cases where the infection route is unknown, so there is a possibility that a certain scale of infection has occurred in the region in Japan as well, and the infection will spread rapidly in the future. He acknowledged that it was a situation to be expected.
Regarding the symptoms of infection with the Omicron strain, all infected persons who have been followed up in Japan so far are mild or asymptomatic, and overseas studies have shown that it may be less severe than the Delta strain. However, he pointed out that if the number of infected people increases rapidly in the future, the number of people who need to be hospitalized will increase rapidly, and the medical care provision system may become tight.
In addition, as for future measures, in addition to focusing on border measures for Omicron strains, we will continue to carry out tests such as genome analysis to check whether or not it is Omicron strains for all infected persons in Japan, and early detection and prompt detection in Japan. It is necessary to investigate the infection route.
Year-end and New Year holidays “Activities with a small number of people”
For the year-end and New Year holidays, it is possible to refrain from actions with a high risk of infection and limit the activities to as few people as possible, as the movement of people due to interaction with people who do not usually meet and homecoming may increase and the infection may spread rapidly. I thought it was necessary.