Although Japan's average daily increase in infections in the past week has exceeded 160,000, with more than 200,000 new infections for two consecutive days on December 28, the Japanese government still has confidence in epidemic prevention and control.
Through interviews with multiple government officials, we learned that the Japanese government is studying to downgrade the new coronavirus infection from "Category 2" with the second highest risk to "Category 5" equivalent to seasonal influenza starting from April 1 next year.
Based on determining the infection status at the end of the year and the beginning of the year, the Prime Minister is expected to make a consultation with experts in January next year.
At present, the Japanese government can require isolation and hospitalization adjustments for new crown infected people. fever clinics examinations, hospitalization, vaccinations, etc. are all paid for at public expense.
After the level is reduced to Category 5, public-funded medical treatment will cease. The government plans to continue to bear the public expense and gradually transition to ordinary insurance medical treatment in about a year. Experts also recommend continuing to pay subsidies to medical institutions to secure hospital beds and free vaccinations for the vaccine to avoid medical stress.
The statistics on the number of infected people will be changed to a "fixed-point measurement" based on reports from specific medical institutions. From now on, you will no longer need to wear a mask indoors. It can be said that you have completely returned to the living conditions before the epidemic.
At the same time, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare announced on December 27 that for those who were ordered to stop working by their workplace due to the new coronavirus epidemic, but did not receive suspension allowances, the "Suspension Support Payment Benefit" system provided by the state will limit the suspension period of the payment recipient to the end of March 2023 , and the application deadline is until the end of May.
Workers apply directly to the state for this subsidy, and informal workers in large companies are also eligible. As economic activities restart after the epidemic eases, most companies have resumed normal operations. This subsidy system, which was newly established in the summer of 2020 due to the expansion of infections, will end next year.
This New Year will be the first time in three years that Japan will not have movement restrictions due to the COVID-19 epidemic. Starting from December 28, various places have entered the peak travel period at the end of the year and the beginning of the year.
According to Narita Airport, the number of people scheduled to enter and exit from December 23 to January 5 is more than 618,000, which is expected to be 12 times more than the same period last year..
According to JR companies, the Shinkansen reservation rate at the end of the year and the beginning of the year is 37.9%, and the total number of reserved seats is 2.32 million seats, which has returned to nearly 80% of the pre-epidemic level. The peak travel is expected to be on the 29th, and January 2nd and 3rd for return journeys.
However, everyone should pay attention when traveling at the end of the year. Seasonal influenza has appeared in many places in Japan for the first time in three years.
In the week ending December 18, the number of influenza patients reported by medical institutions nationwide was 2,592, and 29 collective infections occurred in schools and social welfare facilities in Tokyo.
Following Tokyo, Kanagawa, Iwate , Toyama , Aomori Prefecture, Kumamoto Prefecture, Hokkaido, Gunma Prefecture, Yamanashi and other places have successively announced that they have entered the epidemic period of seasonal influenza this week. Tokyo has also raised the alertness of the medical supply system to the highest level.
Fever clinics in Tokyo said that there were almost no flu patients last year, but this winter, 1 in 10 people who came to see a doctor was diagnosed with influenza.
Doctors said that "it may be difficult to buy treatment drugs at the end of the year and the beginning of the year," and called on everyone to take precautions and prepare test kits and antipyretic and analgesic drugs in advance.
What are your travel plans in Japan this New Year? What do you think about the epidemic next year? Leave a message and chat with us!
