入退院・待機緩和へ　社会機能停滞を回避―オミクロン株対応の政府方針

　政府は新型コロナウイルスの変異株「オミクロン株」の感染拡大で社会機能維持が困難になるのを防ぐため、感染者の入退院基準と濃厚接触者の待機措置の緩和を急ぐ方針だ。専門家からは、感染者の入院・療養期間を１０日間とする案が出ている。
　岸田文雄首相は１２日、公明党の石井啓一幹事長と首相官邸で会談。入退院基準に加えて濃厚接触者の待機措置も見直すべきだとの提言を受け、「特性を踏まえた対応が求められる。大変重要なポイントだ」と前向きに対応する考えを示した。（2022/01/12-20:17）

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 Fumio Kishida 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.