Japan to consider downgrading Covid-19 to less serious infectious disease

‘Oku taupotu ‘i lalo ha fakamatala fakaTonga

Japan will consider revising Covid-19 measures as early as this spring, downgrading the disease to a less serious category, says Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.

Speaking to media after meeting with relevant ministers, Kishida said he had instructed them to consider the specific requirements for a reclassification that would put Covid-19 in the same category as seasonal flu.

“As we try to restore the lifestyles of a normal Japan, we would like to shift various measures step by step,” Kishida told reporters.

A classification downgrade to disease category five from the current category two would end an isolation requirement for infected people and their close contacts.

In a separate measure foreshadowed by Kishida, the government would also advise only patients with symptoms to wear masks in indoor public places, whereas currently it urges everyone to do so.

The government last revised coronavirus measures in May. It said then that people no longer had to wear masks when outside as long as appropriate social distance was maintained. Even so, the vast majority of people in Japan are still wearing masks in public, both outdoors and indoors.

– Reuter

Fakamatala fakaTonga

‘Oku pehē ‘e he Palēmia Fumio Kishida, ‘e toe vakai’i ‘e Siapani ‘a e fakafuofua ko ia ki he Kōviti – 19 ‘i he kamata’anga pē ko ia ‘o e faha’i ta’u failau, ‘e holoki hifo ai ‘a e mahaki ni ki he tu’unga ‘o e ‘ikai ke fu’u fakatu’utāmaki.
Ko ‘ene fakahā ia ki he ongoongo hili ‘ene fakataha mo e kau minisitā mahu’inga. Na’e pehē ‘e Kishida na’a ne tala mahino kia kinautolu ke fakakaukau’i lelei ‘a e ngaahi fiema’u tefito ki hano toe fakakalasi ‘e fai ki he Kōviti – 19 ke ‘i he kulupu tatau pē ia mo e fulūu ko ia ‘oku hoko fakfaha’i ta’u.
Na’e fakahā foki ‘e Kishida ki he kau fai līpooti, ” ‘Oku mau loto ke vakai’i ‘a e ngaahi fokotu’utu’u ‘i he sitepu ki he sitepu, ‘i he’emau feinga ko ‘eni ke toe fakafoki mai ‘a e tūkunga mo’ui anga maheni ‘a Siapani.
Ko hano holoki hifo ‘o e kalasi fokoutua ko ‘eni mei he tu’unga lolotonga ‘oku ‘i ai, kalasi ua [2] ki he kalasi nima [5], te ne fakangata ai ‘a e fiema’u ko ia ke fakamavahe’i ‘a e kakai ‘oku puke mo kinautolu na’a nau feohi vāofi.
Na’e fakalika mai foki ‘e Kishida ha tūkunga tu’utu’uni makehe, ko e fale’i ‘a e pule’anga ke tui me’a malu’i [mask] pē ‘a kinautolu ‘oku puke mo ma’u ‘a e ngaahi faka’ilonga puke [symtoms] ‘i he ngaahi fale fakataha’anga kakai, hangē ko ia ‘oku lolotonga faka’amua ke fai ‘e he toko taha kotoa pē.
Ko hono vakai’i fakamuimui taha ko ia ‘e he pule’anga ‘a e vailasi kolona na’e fakahoko ia ‘i Mē. Na’e pehē ai ‘oku ‘ikai toe fiema’u e kakai ia ke nau tui me’a malu’i ‘i tu’a, kehe pē ‘oku tauhi ‘a e vāmama’o [social distance]. Kaneongo ia, ko e toko lahi taha ia ‘o e kakai ‘o Siapasi ‘oku nau kei tui me’a malu’i pē ‘i he ngaahi feitu’u fakapule’anga ‘o tatau ‘i tu’a mo fale.