TOKYO: The Japanese government is seen in a hurry to relax the country’s COVID-19 hospitalization and quarantine rules, in a bid to prevent a disruption in social functions amid the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio suggested the government would revise the hospitalization standards for COVID-19 patients.

The omicron variant “is highly infectious but is believed to be unlikely to cause severe symptoms and to have short incubation periods,” Kishida pointed out.

On Wednesday, he met with Keiichi Ishii, secretary-general of Komeito, the junior party in the ruling coalition, at the prime minister’s office. Ishii proposed revising the quarantine rules for close contacts of coronavirus cases, as well as the hospitalization standards.

Giving a positive response to the proposal, the prime minister said, “We need to take measures that reflect the characteristics” of the new variant.

Earlier this month, the government withdrew the policy of hospitalizing all people infected with the omicron variant and allowed some of them to recover at home or lodging facilities.

However, some patients still need to stay in hospital for 14 days or longer, while people who had close contact with the omicron variant are requested to self-isolate for 14 days.

Due to the strict measures,  Okinawa Prefecture is facing a shortage of medical workers, which could put a squeeze on the southern prefecture’s medical system, even if enough hospital beds are available.

In Okinawa, the number of medical workers who had to take leave due to their infections or close contact with infected people reached a record 628 on Wednesday.

With the omicron spread expected to affect education, welfare and other services as well, many prefectural governors, at a meeting of the National Governors’ Association on Wednesday, urged the central government to consider promptly shortening the quarantine period for close contacts of the omicron variant.

A health ministry expert panel is expected to draw up recommendations on revising the hospitalization standards at its meeting on Thursday.

The Japan Medical Association’s Satoshi Kamayachi, a member of the ministry panel, told reporters Wednesday that setting the hospitalization and treatment period for infected people at 10 days is an option that will be considered.

Meanwhile, the ministry, reconfirming its notification in August, said Wednesday that medical workers who have had close contact with infected people can treat coronavirus patients without having to wait 14 days, if they have been vaccinated and have tested negative for the virus.

The government is considering also applying this rule to other essential workers such as staff at elderly care facilities.

JIJI Press