Members of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's expert meeting have summarized their views on the impact of revising the position of the new coronavirus under the Infectious Diseases Act to the same ``5'' category as seasonal influenza. I showed it at the meeting on the 11th.
While there are concerns that hospitalization adjustments will not be made when the number of patients increases, it is said that the impact of not being able to call on people with close contact to restrict their activities based on the law will be small. I think it should be done while
The views were compiled by members of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's expert panel and presented at a meeting held on the 11th.
According to this, although the death rate of infected people is gradually decreasing, the Omicron strain makes it easier for the infection to spread, and the number of deaths is extremely high. It will take some more time before the disease can be treated in the same way."
On top of that, if strict measures are changed from "type 2 equivalent" to "type 5", etc., when the number of patients increases, the government will not adjust hospitalization, making it difficult to coordinate across regions. There are concerns that treatment costs will no longer be covered by public funds, and infected people will not be tested or treated.
On the other hand, it is said that the fact that it will not be possible to call on people who have close contact to restrict their activities based on the law has not been done in practice, and the impact will be small.
And in the future, it will be necessary to maintain the ability to make adjustments when medical care is tight, and to consider measures to reduce contact opportunities if there is a risk that a new mutated virus will have a serious impact on medical care. As such, the position change should be made while making the necessary preparations.
Dr. Wakita: “Major impact on medical care if appropriate measures are not continued”
At a press conference held after the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's expert meeting, Chairman Takaji Wakita said that he was the first volunteer expert to present the necessary measures when the position of the new coronavirus under the Infectious Diseases Act is reviewed. "The Omicron strain has a low severity rate but is highly contagious. Even if we review the types of infections under the Infectious Diseases Act, if we do not continue to take appropriate measures, it will have a major impact on medical care," he said.
On top of that, he said, ``Regardless of the type under the Infectious Diseases Act, measures should be taken that will give citizens a sense of satisfaction. However, in the event that a mutated virus with increased pathogenicity and increased infectivity emerges, it is necessary to take measures to curb the spread of infection. If there is a serious impact on medical care, we should take measures."