The daily number of new COVID-19 cases across Japan continues to prompt vigilance. The number of serious and fatal cases is also rising, with experts warning that the death toll from the pandemic’s latest seventh wave could surpass the record of the sixth wave recorded.
The recent surge has dealt a heavy blow to society at large. A top policy challenge is to reduce the tremendous burden on frontline medical and nursing care workers.
Late last week, the government announced new procedures designed to help governors deal with large outbreaks in their jurisdictions when more than half of hospital beds reserved for COVID-19 patients were occupied. announced. Governor authorized to issue special proclamation to boost local efforts to deal with new wave of cases caused by highly contagious Omicron subspecies known as BA.5 However, the declaration does not lead to new policy measures, and the effectiveness of this step is questionable.
One of the notable facts about this seventh wave is the surge in outbreaks among healthcare workers who routinely follow strict safety procedures to avoid infection. This is apparently due to a highly contagious subvariant of the currently dominant strain, Omicron.
If many healthcare workers were forced to take time off due to the infection, the healthcare system could be overwhelmed, despite the availability of many empty beds for COVID-19 patients.
Governments need to listen to healthcare workers and quickly and accurately grasp the problems they face. Next, we need to work with experts to analyze and assess relevant factors and come up with effective policy responses.
Governments also need to take steps to compensate for the poor accountability of this latest phase of the health crisis, and send out clear, coherent and coherent policy messages. When the government decided in late July to shorten the required self-isolation period for close contacts, the health ministry described the decision as a “response based on scientific evidence.” But some infectious disease experts said the government should acknowledge that this was a “political decision.”
The public must be confused by such contradictions. Political leaders have a duty to provide thorough accountability for policy changes and to state clearly that they are accountable for their consequences.
The government has repeatedly said it has no plans to impose new COVID-19 restrictions, citing the importance of maintaining acceptable levels of social and economic activity.
Some experts believe this has let people down their guard despite the high risk of infection. Some people have become infected despite following the same safety protocols, according to patient reports.
Governments should propose more concrete measures to prevent each of us from contracting the virus and infecting others.
On July 31, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said the government would consider downgrading the legal status of COVID-19, which has been classified as a type II infectious disease, to a lower category after the current wave subsides. Under the Infectious Diseases Control Law, it is obligatory to count and report all cases of Type 2 infectious diseases.
In April, a panel of experts who advise governments on pandemic responses listed a list of policy challenges governments should address to prepare for new waves of infections. The list includes whether to impose new restrictions and public health responses. An Asahi Shimbun editorial called on the government to address these challenges well before the seventh surge occurred. But the government did nothing, wasting precious time.
The priority now should be to develop effective plans to reduce the burden on public health centers and medical institutions. This frees up human and other resources to treat serious cases and high-risk patients. Through these efforts, governments need to save as many lives as possible.
— Asahi Shimbun August 2nd
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