Japan to drop masking guidelines, ease Covid policy

Tokyo, Japan:

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday that Japan’s government would drop its recommendation to wear a mask indoors and downgrade its medical classification for COVID-19.

The changes, effective from early May, will classify the disease at the same level as the flu, down from its current status on a par with tuberculosis and SARS.

“As for masking, the decision will be left to the individuals, regardless of indoors and outdoors,” Kishida told a televised government meeting.

“We will take more steps towards ‘living with corona’ and make steady progress on returning to normality in homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods and all aspects of life.”

Masks are ubiquitous in public places and are commonly worn even outside, despite the government previously saying that masks are not required in crowded places.

Even before the epidemic broke out in 2020, many people in Japan used masks when they had a cold or fever or to avoid illness in winter.

Polls by major media outlets have indicated that most people will continue to wear masks for public health purposes, even if the government withdraws its request.

The change means that from May 8 – after Japan’s “Golden Week” holiday period – COVID-19 patients and their close contacts will no longer have to self-isolate.

South Korea also plans to drop its indoor masking requirement from Monday, while China has eased its strict zero-Covid stance in a sharp policy reversal.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)