田村厚労相、デルタ株「感染力、一段と増」　リスク高い行動控えて―新型コロナ

　田村憲久厚生労働相は１日のＮＨＫ番組で、新型コロナウイルス対策の緊急事態宣言の対象地域が２日から首都圏３県や大阪府に拡大されることを踏まえ、「長らく行動制約をお願いしているので、致し方ない部分もあるが（ウイルスは）一段と感染力を増しており、リスクの高い行動はお控えいただきたい」と協力を呼び掛けた。
　田村氏は、インド由来のデルタ株が「今回の感染拡大のスピードに影響している」と分析。「これまで以上にリスクの高い行動を抑えないと収まらない感染力を持っている。まだ新規感染者が伸びる可能性がある」と述べ、医療現場への支援も最大限行うとした。
　一方で「ワクチンの接種が急速に進んでいる」と強調。「４０、５０代の接種が大幅に進めば、重症化する人のリスクが減る」と述べ、徐々に行動制約を緩めていくことができるとの考えを示した。（2021/08/01-12:43）

Japanese health minister Norihisa Tamura urged the public Sunday to avoid activities involving high risks of novel coronavirus infection, noting that the virus is becoming more contagious.
   He made the request in a television program as the government's ongoing COVID-19 state of emergency, which now covers Tokyo and the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa, is set to be expanded to three prefectures neighboring Tokyo--Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa--and the western prefecture of Osaka from Monday. The state of emergency will run until the end of August.
   Tamura said that the highly transmissible delta variant is responsible for the current rapid spread of infections in Japan.
   The mutated strain "is so contagious that we can't reduce infections unless we refrain from high-risk activities more than ever." He also pledged to provide as much support as possible to medical workers on the ground, noting that new infection cases may increase further.
   Meanwhile, Tamura cited rapid progress in vaccinations against the coronavirus. "If vaccinations of people in their 40s and 50s make substantial progress, we will see lower risks of COVID-19 symptoms becoming serious," he said, indicating that the government will be able to ease its restrictions on activities gradually in such a case.