Politics | Jan 27

Japan plans to downgrade COVID-19 classification on May 8

TOKYO, Jan 27 (NHK) - The Japanese government is planning to downgrade COVID-19 on May 8 to the same category of infectious diseases as seasonal influenza.

The plan comes after Prime Minister Kishida Fumio last week instructed health minister Kato Katsunobu to consider reclassifying the disease to category five, the same grouping as the flu, in principle, this coming spring.

COVID-19 is currently classified as the equivalent to category two, the second-most severe tier on Japan's infectious disease classification system. The level allows authorities to take strict measures, including restrictions on people's movements to prevent the spread of the disease. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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