感染症法改正案、提出見送り　病床確保、現行制度で対応―岸田首相

　岸田文雄首相は９日、フジテレビの番組に出演し、新型コロナウイルス対策を強化する感染症法改正案について、１７日召集の通常国会への提出を見送る方針を表明した。「中長期的な課題を６月までにしっかり洗い出した上で法改正を考えていく」と述べた。
　改正案は、医療従事者や病床の確保などに向け、強制力のある措置を可能にすることが柱。夏の参院選を控え、権利制限を伴う法案が国会論戦の争点となるのを避ける狙いがある。
　首相は、新たな変異株「オミクロン株」の感染拡大で逼迫（ひっぱく）が懸念される病床の確保について「まず用意したものをしっかり稼働させることに集中したい」と強調。その上で、感染症の危機に対する司令塔機能や自治体との連携など、必要な検証を行う考えを示した。（2022/01/09-19:51）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida suggested Sunday that the government will stop short of submitting a bill to revise the infectious disease law to allow stronger steps against the novel coronavirus during the coming ordinary session of parliament.
   "We will sort out medium- and long-term challenges by June," Kishida said on a program of Fuji Television Network Inc. The ordinary session of parliament, to be convened on Jan. 17, will run for 150 days through June.
   The law revision is aimed at enabling more powerful measures to secure medical workers and hospital beds for COVID-19 patients. Kishida apparently hopes to prevent the bill, which would involve restrictions on rights, from becoming a bone of contention in parliament in the run-up to the triennial election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, this summer.
   On concerns that the spread of the omicron variant of the coronavirus may reduce the availability of hospital beds, Kishida said the government will focus for the time being on ensuring that beds currently available are put to use.
   He also said the government will conduct reviews as needed on its control tower functions to address an infectious disease crisis and its collaborations with local governments.