WHO = The World Health Organization can open a committee of experts on the 27th and cancel the declaration of a "public health emergency of international concern" in response to the spread of the new coronavirus. I am considering whether.
It will soon be three years since the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern on January 30, 2020, due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
The WHO will regularly review whether the declaration can be lifted, and on the 27th, for the first time in about three months, a committee of experts and health authorities from each country will be held to discuss the lifting of the declaration. to be discussed.
Last time, the committee held in October last year decided to continue the declaration due to concerns about the mutated virus.
If the WHO lifts the declaration in response to the results of the committee's deliberations, it is expected to support the relaxation of infection control measures in each country, so attention will be paid to the committee's discussions.
Regarding the declaration, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a regular press conference held at the headquarters in Geneva on the 24th, "I do not intend to preempt the advice of the committee, but I am very concerned about the situation in many countries. ”He points out challenges such as the fact that the number of deaths is still increasing worldwide and the booster vaccination is delayed.
What is the WHO "state of emergency" declaration?
Regarding the new coronavirus, WHO = World Health Organization declared a "public health emergency of international concern" in January 2020 based on the "International Health Regulations".
The declaration of a "state of emergency" has the significance of encouraging countries to strengthen their countermeasures. In addition, we have been promoting the supply of vaccines and therapeutic drugs to developing countries within an international framework.
WHO holds a committee of experts once every three months to discuss how to respond to the new coronavirus and whether it constitutes an "emergency". We will decide whether to continue the situation or cancel it.
According to Johns Hopkins University, which summarizes the data of the new corona, as of January 26, the cumulative number of infected people in the world is about 669 million, and about 6.8 million people have died. More than 13.2 billion times.
The new corona cannot be eradicated, and it is expected that the infection will continue to spread in the future. is going down.
Regarding countermeasures in Japan, experts recommend maintaining a monitoring system to prevent the spread of a highly contagious mutant virus, strengthening the medical system, wearing the correct non-woven mask and ventilation according to the situation, and eating and drinking. He points out that it is necessary to continue basic infection control measures such as wearing masks with as few people as possible except when eating and drinking, and refraining from going out when you have symptoms.
Mutant virus and vaccine
The new coronavirus has been mutating repeatedly for three years, and a corresponding vaccine has been introduced, but even now, there are concerns about the emergence and spread of new mutated viruses that are highly infectious.
The first confirmed infection in Japan was the same type of virus found in Wuhan, China, but since the spring of 2020, the virus that spread in Europe due to mutations has spread in Japan.
After that, a mutated virus with increased infectivity appeared and flowed into Japan, and after the spring of the year before, the "alpha strain" found in England spread, and after the summer of the year before, the "delta strain" found in India spread. , The medical system was overwhelmed by the number of patients who became seriously ill.
In Japan, the new coronavirus vaccine will start in February 2021 for medical workers, and will be expanded to the elderly, people with underlying diseases, and those aged 12 and over without underlying diseases. About 40% of the total, and more than 70% at the end of the year completed two doses of vaccination.
Since the beginning of last year, the highly contagious Omicron strain, first reported in South Africa, continues to dominate the country.
After the spread of the Omicron stock type “BA.1”, “BA.2” became mainstream after the spring of 2022, and “BA.5” after the summer.
Omicron strains are easily evaded by immunity, and conventional vaccines are said to be less effective. Vaccines containing components corresponding to "BA.1" and "BA.5" have been developed and are being vaccinated.
However, in the current "8th wave", the proportion of the Omicron strain "BQ.1" with further mutations is increasing, and the Omicron strain "XBB.1.5", which may be more infectious, is It is widespread in the United States and has also been detected in Japan.
The US FDA = Food and Drug Administration has shown the idea of injecting a vaccine that responds to new mutations every year, like the seasonal influenza vaccine, for the new corona vaccine.
Spread of infection in Japan and response
As of January 30, the year before the WHO declared a public health emergency of international concern, the number of confirmed infections in Japan was 12, according to a summary by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Since then, the country has experienced a total of eight waves of infections, with more than 32 million people infected and nearly 67,000 people dead by the 26th. .
The first confirmed infection in Japan was on January 15, 2020, and on April 7, the government issued the first legally-based "Emergency Declaration" to seven prefectures, including Tokyo. Strict restrictions were imposed, such as asking people to reduce contact with people by "at least 70%, preferably 80%".
In the first wave of the spread of infection, the number of infected people was about 17,000 by the end of May 2020, and the number of people who died was 892. is the highest in the wave of infection spread in
A total of eight waves of the spread of infection have occurred so far, but the fatality rate tends to gradually decrease, and in order to balance infection control and socioeconomic activities, the declaration of a state of emergency was made on the eve of the expansion of the delta strain of the mutated virus. After the "fifth wave" in summer, no priority measures such as epidemic prevention were issued after the "sixth wave" from early last year when Omicron stocks expanded.
On the other hand, since the spread of the highly contagious Omicron strain, the number of infected people has increased by an order of magnitude, and the medical system has been strained. The number is increasing.
In the 8th wave, the fatality rate is 0.20%, but the number of people who died in January 2023 is the highest ever, with more than 500 people in a day. About 17,000 in less than two months, about one in four people have died in the past three-plus years.
Initially, many people died of severe pneumonia due to infection with the new coronavirus, but now it is possible that there are many cases where elderly people with serious chronic diseases are dying due to their condition worsening due to the infection. Experts say it has potential.
China's Situation "Zero Corona" Policy Ends
In China, we have continued the "zero corona" policy to contain the spread of the new coronavirus infection through thorough PCR tests and strict restrictions on movement.
Under the "zero corona" policy, when an infected person is confirmed, the area or building is blocked, and in Shanghai, the largest economic city, strict restrictions on going out continued for more than two months from the end of March last year.
In addition, even if the infection is not spreading, in many cities such as Beijing, it is obligatory to present a negative PCR test certificate when using commercial facilities and public transportation, and people must take a PCR test on a daily basis. I had to.
In addition to those who entered the country from overseas, people who had close contact with the virus were also required to be quarantined at facilities.
Under these circumstances, the economy was sluggish, and in late November last year, there were a series of protests against the "zero corona" policy in various places. We have abolished the measures such as isolation after entering the country and forced isolation of patients that we have continued.
With this, the "zero corona" policy has ended, and we will focus on "treatment" from "prevention" so far through promotion of vaccination and enhancement of the medical system.
After the Chinese government significantly eased infection control measures last month, the infection spread rapidly in various places, but after the data on the 8th of this month, the daily announcement of the number of infected people was canceled, and the number of infected people was canceled. I don't know the details of the situation.
The Chinese government has announced that a total of 72,596 people died during the month from the 8th of last month to the 19th of this month, but those who died at home etc. are not included. There are indications that there are more.
In addition, it was announced on the 25th that the number of infected people per day peaked at 6.94 million on the 22nd of last month, and then decreased to 15,000 on the 23rd of this month. Detailed data such as the breakdown of each has not been disclosed.
Regarding the announcement by the Chinese side, WHO = World Health Organization is requesting further information disclosure.
On the other hand, in terms of border measures, although the quarantine at the time of entry has been abolished, it is necessary to take a PCR test within 48 hours before traveling to China and prove negative.
However, the Chinese authorities announced on the 10th of this month that they had temporarily suspended the issuance of visas to Japanese and Koreans visiting China, and Japan and South Korea have imposed border measures for those entering from mainland China. I think it's a countermeasure to the strengthening.
In China, from the 21st to the 27th of this month, there is growing concern about the spread of infection in rural areas and the emergence of new mutated viruses during the long holidays that coincide with the Lunar New Year's "Spring Festival".
The situation in America "XBB.1.5" expands rapidly
According to the US CDC = Center for Disease Control, as of the 18th of this month, the total number of infected people reported so far is over 101.8 million, and the cumulative number of deaths is over 1.09 million, both of which are the highest in the world. increase.
The number of infected people peaked around January last year with an average of 800,000 people a day, and the number of deaths peaked around January 2020 with an average of 3,000 people a day.
However, the exact number of infected people is not known because the number of infected people does not include self-checked cases with readily available test kits these days.
In the United States, one of the Omicron strains "XBB.1.5" has continued to spread rapidly since last month, and it is estimated that 49.1% of the newly infected people in the week ending on the 21st of this month are infected. increase.
As a countermeasure against infection, vaccination is actively called for, and a bivalent vaccine corresponding to the Omicron strain "BA.5" can be vaccinated free of charge for children over 6 months old.
As of the 18th of this month, 81% of people had been vaccinated at least once, and 15.3% had completed the bivalent booster vaccine.
Regarding the wearing of masks, some states temporarily required wearing masks indoors, but in March last year, the obligation to wear masks indoors was removed in all states.
As a border control measure, the U.S. government used to require foreigners entering the country by air to have a negative test for the new coronavirus, but it was relaxed in June last year, and now it is necessary to have a certificate of vaccination. I'm looking for
On the other hand, due to the rapid spread of infections in China, passengers on flights from China are required to present a negative certificate when departing from this month.
UK situation
The number of people who have died from the new coronavirus in the UK so far has exceeded 217,000, according to a summary by Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the most in Europe excluding Russia.
According to the British government, the average number of deaths per day in England, which accounts for the majority of the population, is 131 per day around the 9th of this month, which is about one-ninth of the peak period so far. increase.
In addition, 70.2% of the population aged 12 years and over received three or more doses of the vaccine.
The government says there have been two waves of infections so far.
In the winter of 2020, which was the second wave, citizens were asked to refrain from going out throughout England, including London, and retail stores and restaurants, excluding supermarkets, were banned from operating in principle. introduced strict regulations.
After that, the regulations, including the obligation to wear masks on public transportation and ensuring the distance between people, were gradually eased, and in February last year, then Prime Minister Johnson announced that the minimum required for infected people was 5. We announced an exit strategy for coexisting with the virus that included the removal of all legal restrictions, such as day-of-quarantine.
In this, we are asking you to judge the response to the new corona on your own responsibility like the flu.
Immigration restrictions were abolished in March last year. Those who have tested positive for the virus must present a negative test within two days before departure.
Situation in South Korea
According to a summary by Johns Hopkins University in the United States, the cumulative number of infected people in South Korea is over 30 million, while the number of dead people is over 33,000. is getting lower.
In South Korea, the epidemic of the Omicron strain caused the largest wave of infection in March last year, and there were days when the number of new infections exceeded 600,000 per day.
The South Korean government temporarily obliged restaurants to shorten business hours and present vaccination certificates when visiting department stores and large supermarkets. effectively canceled.
In September last year, the obligation to wear a mask outdoors was completely lifted, and from the 30th of this month, except for some public transportation and medical institutions, wearing a mask indoors will be changed from "obligation" to "recommendation". mitigated.
Regarding border measures from overseas, in June last year, quarantine after entering the country became unnecessary, submission of a negative certificate in September, and PCR testing after entering Japan became unnecessary in October.
Tourists from Japan have not been allowed to travel without a visa since March 2020, but since August last year, they have been able to enter the country without a visa. Immigration surged.
On the other hand, for those entering from mainland China, where the infection has spread rapidly, PCR tests will be required before and after entering the country until the end of next month, and border measures will be taken such as restricting the issuance of short-term visas until the end of this month. announced that it will stop issuing short-term visas to Koreans.