An expert panel under Japan's health ministry has urged the government to take a "gradual" approach to a downgrade of COVID-19's legal status to the same level as seasonal influenza, saying robust coronavirus measures must be sustained.
Experts urge gov t to take gradual approach to COVID downgrade japantoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from japantoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Female COVID-19 patients make up a slim majority in the latest sixth wave of novel coronavirus infections, a switch from the male-led trends of the previous surges in cases.
Kaori Muto, a professor at the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Medical Science and a member of the government’s subcommittee on pandemic measures. Local governments that are subject to quasi-emergency priority measures designed to prevent the spread of the coronavirus are split over whether to allow eateries to continue serving…
Shigeru Omi, chairman of the government panel of experts dealing with the novel coronavirus pandemic, meets with reporters on May 21 after the panel approved including Okinawa Prefecture under the state of emergency. (Ryo Kato)
Health experts are cautioning against lifting an already extended state of emergency at the end of the month, putting the government in a tight corner as it confronts having to make final preparations for the Tokyo Olympics in late July while curbs remain in place.
Restrictions are due to stay until May 31 unless the government heeds the advice and decides on an extension.
The panel of experts advising the government on measures to deal with the pandemic approved including Okinawa Prefecture under the state of emergency from May 23 until June 20.