PM Yoshihide Suga calls for strict quarantine measures at airports and on those returning from the UK.
Japan has confirmed its first five cases of the new, faster-spreading variant of the coronavirus in travelers arriving in the United Kingdom and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga urging the country to spend “Silent New Year” time.
Health Minister Norihisa Tamura announced the issues late Friday after his meeting with Suga, adding that the prime minister called for strict quarantine measures at airports and on those returning from airports. the UK.
Japan has banned entry from the UK, except to return Japanese nationals and those with a residence permit.
New Year’s Eve is an extended national holiday in Japan, with many people usually traveling back to their homes and spending time with family and friends.
Earlier on Friday, Suga called for a quiet New Year without the usual social gatherings to stop the spread of COVID-19, which has been breaking infection records almost every day.
It also announced a $ 2.6bn package for hospitals treating COVID-19 patients who have come under pressure as a result of the rapid rise in cases across the northern island of Hokkaido as well as cities like Tokyo and Osaka.
“I want you to spend a quiet New Year,” the keynote speaker said at a press conference in Tokyo, with government coronavirus expert Shigeru Omi also in attendance.
“The diseases are not coming down and if we continue like this, we will not be able to avoid further spread of the virus.”
Omi warned that it was vital that “all citizens move in the same direction” to address the health crisis.
“If we do not bring down diseases now, once they recur after the New Year, it will not be easy to reverse the downward trend,” he said.
“It would take time, and it might be impossible to control it over several weeks,” he said.
Shared food
Omi said shared food was a major cause of disease and urged people to stop holding large gatherings and limit food to four that one would regularly eat with, or less.
While Japan has averted the large numbers of diseases seen in other parts of the world, the number of new daily cases exceeded 3,000 for the first time this month.
Tokyo reported 884 infections on Friday, close to Thursday ‘s record of 888.
Japan, with a population of 126 million, has reached contracts to purchase 290 million vaccine doses from Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca Plc and Moderna Inc – enough for 145 million people.
A health ministry panel said people aged 65 and over should be given priority for vaccination against COVID-19, as well as face-to-face health care workers and people with underlying health conditions.
He identified chronic heart disease, chronic respiratory disease and chronic kidney disease, among others, as basic conditions that should be prioritized.
The panel’s recommendations would mean that 36 million elderly and 8.2 million people with medical conditions would be the first to receive pictures.