コロナで医療緊急事態宣言　インフルとは「別格の脅威」―日医など９団体

　日本医師会など九つの医療団体は２１日、東京都内で合同記者会見を開き、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大の影響で全国的に医療体制が逼迫（ひっぱく）しているとして「医療緊急事態宣言」を発表した。日本医師会の中川俊男会長は「新規感染者数を何が何でも減らす。国民が一丸となって真正面からコロナに向き合って」と感染対策の徹底を改めて呼び掛けた。
　中川氏は、冬季に流行するインフルエンザと比較しても、新型コロナは「別格の脅威だ」と指摘。感染者の増加が止まらないことで、「誰もが平等に医療を受けられる日本の医療制度が風前のともしびになっている」と危機感を訴えた。（2020/12/21-20:37）

Nine medical groups in Japan declared on Monday a state of emergency as medical care systems across the country are in a crisis due to surging coronavirus cases.
   "Japan's medical care system in which everyone can receive medical care is in an extremely precarious situation," Toshio Nakagawa, head of the Japan Medical Association, said at a joint press conference in Tokyo.
   "We need to reduce new infection cases by any means," Nakagawa said, terming the novel coronavirus "an exceptional threat," comparing it to the spread of influenza in winter.
   The nine groups urged people to take thorough measures to prevent infection and asked central and local governments to support front-line medical workers.
   Some representatives of the nine groups called for stricter government restrictions on the movement of people to contain the virus.