Japan looks to simplify COVID survey, deal with it like seasonal flu

Japan looks to simplify COVID survey, deal with it like seasonal flu

When? Next month? Other countries already done that!

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/01/12/world/spain-covid19-flu/

Good! Hurry up!

I don't recall them banning tourists because of seasonal flu.

Yatta Yatta! Whatever you have to do Nihon to finally open up so I can go homu!

Finally, some sense. A lot of us have been thinking this way for at least the last year, glad everyone else is coming round and the hysteria is clearing.

When all those guidelines and border restrictions will be scrapped, when all the locals will stop wearing masks, and some looking strangely at you if you do not wear one !

No mention of Long Covid in all this. The elephant in the room.

There's a ton more evidence than this that just keeps on coming.

Lol post your so called evidence.

The sooner, the better. It's almost situation normal in Australia. Full stadiums, full restaurants, full shopping centres, tourists returning, falling hospitalisations and almost no mask wearing.

to limit the target to elderly people and those at risk of developing severe symptoms 

Seems reasonable

Next ban masks

Great! It's about time

I think one significant reason to downgrade covid is to do away with the requirement to "hospitalize" any and all individuals who tests positive.

This would free up considerable resources.

As long as this means those with Covid can enter the hospital for treatment im all for it but I remain skeptical.

also I agree about the long Covid… japan will be hit with the issue soon now that everyone is getting Covid.

Yes, so many will profit from this. The many viruses especially…

I don't think we will ever see Japanese staff in the retail, hospitality, public transport and travel businesses without masks ever again.

so we will see no more reports here every evening about cases???

did you get that vaccines and masks does not stop covid and does not solve this issue at all?

Just fudging the numbers, to make everything seem ok.

Probably the best move.

PS Japanese government: build more hospitals especially with 30% people over 65yo.

PS Japanese government: build more hospitals

Problem is staffing.

Anyway, even though we're having the worst of it now, seems the system can still take it

Great news

Its been heading that way. COVID = Seasonal Flu. Wonder how many will enjoy the prospect of returning to overcrowded trains, and busy Offices ?

Wonder what will happen if a more virulent (pathogenic and/or transmissibility) strain emerges. . . change the goal posts, again?

Small comfort for the aged and/or medically vulnerable

if they do reclassify covid then resources will be freed up and be available for these cases

If the situation takes a turn for the worse they can reclassify it back if needed

Japan is considering simplifying the way it deals with the coronavirus,

It is impossible to simplify something that isn't dealt with.

This article just concerns how cases are reported.

The central government did and does not have a plan on how to deal with Covid. Other than do nothing , and more recently do nothing except to shift that inaction responsibility to the local governments, which don't want to rock the boat and so their way with dealing with it is to do nothing.

This article just concerns how cases are reported.

Reports are part of how covid is being dealth with, they are not done just for fun.

Used to get banned from social media for saying COVID is just the flu.

now that’s how the Japanese government will treat it?

And can the Japanese government please tell the Japanese people that wearing masks outdoors is not only completely meaningless, but possibly even harmful to mental and physical health?

Lol

Having caught Covid and in no need of intubation I simply dealt with it myself…

In that case, let foreigners in without tour and without travel agency that decides itinerary.

Hahaha good ol' Japan...always two steps behind the rest of the world!

> Japan is considering simplifying 

Kids, this is an oxymoron.

@Nepalibabu

Obviously they cannot accommodate everyone in actual hospitals nor should they. That is why the requirement was relaxed/stretched/bent.

I'm not sure also if the term or phrase in Japanese accuratetely translates to hospitalize/ hospitalizations.

Anyway that's the reason I put "hospitalize"in quotation marks

Funny how the seasonal flu just disappeared the last couple years. Welcome back!

Those who are housed in hotels and I guess in their own homes under the care of healthcare workers are under the category "hospitalized".

It's easier for people to accept/understand that people are hospitalized if put in tents (makeshift/field hospitals) but they are essentially the same and hotels /homes are better

These are later developments though, at the start everyone was actually hospitalized even mild cases that's why healthcare system strained/collapsed

Take care. :-)

@Nepalibabu

Thanks, I always do as a matter of habit.

You too, take care.

Also, these are just my understanding/impression, I would appreciate if corrected when wrong/inaccurate

So, Coronavirus has become rampant here, and as the government seem to have given up/have no clue of what to do, they've decided to just downgrade the whole thing?

So so so inept. Only reporting so many cases? Not really bothering to report all infections?

Is this a massive face saving event? There'll be people in a few weeks again boasting about how low Japan's numbers are.

These world high numbers have really really infuriated the Japanese government. They must absolutely loathe it.

Anyway, I hope everyone stays safe and has a great weekend.

In Japan, Why shouldn’t I have treated my Covid symptoms?

Going to hospital only means in the vast MAJORITY of cases that people are being told to stay home anyway-there you have it!

The reason for the downgrading is not to play down the severity of the disease or to give up on it, it’s to help reduce the amount of time spent on paperwork and to allow more facilities to be able to treat COVID patients. It’s long overdue and some of us, myself included, have been saying this should have been done months ago.

Japan looks to simplify COVID survey, deal with it like seasonal flu

Common sense. They're finally realising that it's not as serious as the fear mongers told us and they don't want another yearly spike of 8000 more suicides than usual. Well done.

But let's bear in mind that the elderly and other vulnerable need strong protection.

Common sense. They're finally realising that it's not as serious as the fear mongers told us and they don't want another yearly spike of 8000 more suicides than usual. Well done.

That is a flawed reasoning, precisely because it has been taken seriously is why the risk from infection is decreasing without countless unnecessary deaths. It makes as much sense to criticize the measures for having the desired result as criticizing chemotherapy as necessary when the patient has recovered from cancer and will no longer need it.

I stopped caring in summer 2020, been tapping my feet and whistling waiting for everyone else to catch up with reality... maybe 2023?

Going against the recommendations of the experts and the evidence is the opposite of being the only one in touch with reality.