Governors call for downgrade of COVID-19 infection category
15:38 JST, July 29, 2022
NARA — A number of governors called for a review of Japan’s classification of COVID-19 under the Infectious Disease Control Law, seeking to lower it from its current status as a Category II Infectious Disease, or the second strictest ranking on a five-tier scale, during a meeting of the National Governors’ Association that kicked off in Nara City on Thursday.
Diseases under Category II require an “active epidemiological investigation” to keep track of the activities of all infected persons. This has caused an increase in the number of close contacts who have to stay home for self-quarantine.
Kanagawa Gov. Yuji Kuroiwa insisted that “Social and economic activities are about to stop.”
Hokkaido Gov. Naomichi Suzuki said, “Given that 99% of the cases for the omicron variant of the coronavirus are mild or asymptomatic, we must discuss whether it is necessary to identify all cases.”
The association has urged the central government to provide a stable supply of virus test kits and plans to draw up a proposal for urgent measures.
"Society" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Typhoon Kong-rey to Reach South of Japan’s Okinawa on Thursday; JWA Urges High Alert for Strong Winds, Heavy Rain
-
Typhoon Trami Forms East of Philippines, Moving Westward
-
‘Women Over 30 Would Have Uteruses Removed’; Remarks of CPJ Leader, Novelist Naoki Hyakuta Get Wide Attention
-
Typhoon Kong-rey Expected to Turn into Tropical Storm after Possible Pass Over Taiwan
-
Sapporo Sees Season’s 1st Snowfall; Snow Comes 8 Days Earlier Than Average
JN ACCESS RANKING
- Streaming Services Boost Anime Popularity Overseas; Former ‘Geeky’ Interest More Beloved Among Gen Z than 3 Major U.S. Sports
- G20 Sees Soft Landing for Global Economy; Leaders Pledge to Resist Protectionism as Trump Calls for Imported Goods Flat Tariff
- 2024 POLLS: Ruling Camp Likely to Win Lower House Majority
- Chinese Social Media Still Full of Anti-Japanese Posts 1 Month After Boy’s Fatal Stabbing; Malicious Videos Gain Large Number of Views
- Chinese Rights Lawyer’s Wife Seeks Support in Japan; Sophie Luo Calls for Beijing to Free Ding Jiaxi, Xu Zhiyong