医療逼迫時は自宅療養可　オミクロン陽性者ら―厚労省

　厚生労働省は５日、新型コロナウイルスの変異株「オミクロン株」の感染者について、全員入院としていた対応を見直し、医療が逼迫（ひっぱく）した場合には自宅や宿泊施設での療養を認めると各都道府県などに通知した。経口治療薬の投与など在宅療養の体制が整っていることを条件とする。後藤茂之厚労相が記者団に明らかにした。
　指定宿泊施設での待機を原則としていた濃厚接触者についても、自宅での療養を認める。（2022/01/05-20:39）

Japan's health ministry Wednesday notified the local governments that people infected with the omicron coronavirus variant can isolate at home instead of being hospitalized, if local medical systems become strained.
   The ministry also said that isolation at home or designated accommodation facilities will be granted on condition that resources necessary for at-home treatment, such as oral COVID-19 drugs, are available, health minister Shigeyuki Goto told reporters.
   The previous policy required all people with the omicron variant to be hospitalized.
   The ministry also eased the policy of asking all omicron close contacts to stay at designated lodging facilities in principle, now allowing them to isolate at home.
   Local governments will be allowed to apply the relaxed rules if the occupancy rate of local hospital beds or accommodation facilities for COVID-19 patients is expected to exceed 50 pct in three weeks.