Omicron strain of the new coronavirus whose infection is spreading rapidly.
Not surprisingly, the number of infected people is unprecedented, and the number of close contacts who have come into contact with infected people is expected to be unprecedented.
I think there are many people who have become close contacts, or those who are nearby have become close contacts.
When you become a close contact, you need to wait at home for a certain period of time, but how far is the close contact?
How long do you need to wait at home?
We interviewed about various questions.
What is the definition of a close contact in the first place?
How far is the close contact?
A close contact is a person who may be infected by close contact with an infected person or by long-term contact.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the important points when determining whether or not a person is a close contact are as follows.
The period of contact is up to 10 days after the onset when the infected person stops shedding the virus (10 days after the sample for testing is taken if the infected person is asymptomatic).
The guideline for contact is when you touch the infected person without wearing a mask, or when you reach for each other and reach for 15 minutes or more.
For example, if you may have come into direct contact with an infected person's body fluids.
If you have an infected person in your family or if you are caring for an infected person, this guideline may apply, but as is done at medical institutions and long-term care facilities, solid infection prevention measures are taken. If it is taken, it is not considered a close contact.
Also, even if the contact is for 15 minutes or more, the specifics of the place, such as whether the environment was such as having a conversation, singing a song or making a loud voice, and whether the ventilation was sufficient, etc. Depending on the situation, it depends on whether or not you are judged to be a close contact.
How long do close contacts need to wait at home?
Based on the latest scientific knowledge such as the incubation period of Omicron strains, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has shortened the waiting period at homes of close contacts from the previous 14 days to 10 days on the 14th of this month.
(As of January 27)
Therefore, the day of the last contact with the infected person is set to 0, and you will be required to wait at home for 10 days.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, when a family member living together is infected, the day when the infected person is hospitalized or isolated in a private room is the "last contact day".
However, if the infected child is a young child and cannot be isolated in a separate room, the day when the infected person's medical treatment ends will be the "last contact day", and it will be 10 days from that point, that is, a maximum of 20 days. increase.
However, for so-called "essential workers" such as medical professionals, whether the PCR test or the antigen quantitative test is negative on the 6th day, or the antigen qualitative approved in Japan on the 6th and 7th days. If the test kit confirms that it is negative twice in a row, the wait can be canceled.
How should I live while I'm waiting at home?
自宅待機の際には、不要不急の外出はできる限り控え、やむを得ず外出する場合には、マスクの着用や手洗いなどの感染対策を行って、人との接触を避けることとされています。
また、通勤や通学も控える必要があるということです。
オミクロン株の流行が主流となって期間は短縮されましたが、オミクロン株であっても感染が起こる仕組みや場面自体は変わらないとされているため、自宅待機中の対策の内容も基本的には変わりません。
東京都の新型コロナ対策を担当する東京都の感染症対策部では次のようにしています。
▽10日間は不要不急の外出は控え、職場や学校には行かずに自宅で待機。
▽待機中は、毎日、朝と夕方の2回、体温を測って体調に異常がないか確認。
▽発熱やせきなどの症状が出たらかかりつけ医か、新型コロナの検査や診療が可能な医療機関を受診。
▽なるべく公共交通機関の利用を避ける。
ただ、厚生労働省では、受験をする場合は、ガイドラインに基づいて必要な対策がとられた会場などで、試験を受けることができるとしていて、その場合は外出も認められるということです。
濃厚接触者になった場合は、決められた期間が過ぎるまでは「もしかしたら感染しているかも」と考えて行動することが重要です。
家族に濃厚接触者が出た場合はどうすればいい？
家族に濃厚接触者が出た場合について、東京都の感染症対策部によりますと「『濃厚接触者の濃厚接触者』という概念はないため、濃厚接触となった人を除いて家族全員が行動を制限されることはなく、行政としても行動は制限していない」ということです。
ただ、勤務先や通学先などで個別にルールを定めている場合もあるため、会社や学校と話し合って、それぞれのルールに従ってほしいということです。
もちろん、濃厚接触者が待機中に発症するなどして、実は感染していたことが分かる可能性もあります。
万が一感染していた場合に備えて、濃厚接触者となった家族の待機期間中は、▽家庭内でのタオルの共用を避けたり、食事の時間をずらしたりするなど、できる限り空間を分けて生活する。
▽マスク着用などでせきエチケットを守る、手洗いやアルコール消毒などを心がける。
▽ドアノブやテレビのリモコンなど頻繁に触れるものの消毒▽定期的に換気をするなどの注意をしてほしいということです。
オミクロン株は重症化する割合が低くなったと言われていることから、ついついこれまでよりも軽く考えてしまうこともあるかもしれませんが、それでも高齢者や基礎疾患がある人などを中心に、重症化する人が世界中で報告されています。
油断せずに、特に基礎疾患があったり、高齢だったりして、重症化のリスクが高い家族がいる場合は注意が必要です。
幼い子どもや介護が必要な人が感染した場合、家族はどうすれば？
If the infected person is old enough to live alone, it is possible to avoid close contact by dividing the living space at home and taking proper measures, but it affects young children and people who need long-term care. If you do, it will be difficult to avoid the caregiver becoming a close contact.
As of January 27, in these cases, the day when the infected person's 10-day medical treatment period ends is the "last contact day."
For this reason, family members who have become close contacts will have to wait at home for another 10 days.
Since the infected person himself has completed the 10-day medical treatment period, there are no restrictions such as going out.
It's strange, but it's needed to prevent the virus from spreading, as the close contact has a longer waiting period than the infected person himself.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, there are actually a series of such cases, and there are inquiries as to whether the waiting period can be shortened somehow, but in principle, it is said that 20 days are required.
Family infection confirmed What should I do with other family members?
According to a survey by the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, the initial analysis results show that the infection rate of Omicron strains in the home is about 30% to 40%, which may be higher than that of Delta strains. is.
However, in this survey, even with the Omicron strain, the infection route was the same as that of the new coronavirus so far, and the infection was mainly by flying infection or so-called "micro-flying" (aerosol) in a poorly ventilated place. Therefore, it is thought that it can be prevented by thoroughly implementing conventional infection control measures.
The caution illustration created by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare lists the following precautions when an infected person appears in the family.
The waiting period at home for close contacts will change with Omicron strains Will it change in the future?
Professor Kazuhiro Tateda of Toho University, a member of the government's subcommittee on measures against the new coronavirus, says that it is possible that the measures will be changed according to the characteristics of the Omicron strain in the future.
Professor Tateda said that Omicron strains are often mild and cured in people under the age of 50 who have no underlying disease or obesity.
"If we strongly suppress behavior in search of zero risk, infection may decrease, but on the contrary, social functions may become paralyzed and collapse. While accepting some risks, society There is a need for a balanced response that will maintain its function. ”
Furthermore, the number of people infected with the Omicron strain is increasing, and the number of close contacts is increasing at an unprecedented pace.
"In a situation where the number of infected people is renewing the highest number in the whole country every day, we must think about appropriate and more effective measures for close contacts as soon as possible. For example, young children are infected. The risk of another family being infected on the 10th day after the medical treatment is not zero. However, if the infection is adequately controlled, the family who became a close contact will not have any symptoms. If a negative test can be confirmed, it may be necessary to consider canceling the waiting at home at the same timing as the child's medical treatment is canceled. "