The government will use its authority to secure hospital beds in the event of another wave of coronavirus infections, according to an outline of pandemic measures that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida presented to the COVID-19 task force on Friday.
"In order to prepare for the possibility of another spread of infections, we will conduct crisis management operations based on the worst-case scenario and take all possible measures," Kishida said.
The government wants to ensure it can secure more beds for COVID-19 patients at public hospitals in the event of a scenario in which the virus is twice as contagious as it was this summer, according to the outline.
The government wants to increase the number of hospital beds by 20% from the level this summer. It has also requested each prefectural government to draw up plans on how to secure and provide health and medical services.
Several hospitals have secured beds for COVID-19 patients since the outbreak of the pandemic, but the beds were unused in some cases. Going forward, the government wants to ensure the occupancy rate of beds for COVID-19 patients is more than 80%.
Public hospitals will be required to secure beds based on relevant laws that allow the central government to issue relevant demands or requests in the event of an emergency.
The government will make hospitals restrict general medical services in the event of a scenario in which the virus becomes three times as contagious as this summer.
Regarding measures for patients who recuperate at home or designated accommodation facilities, the government wants local medical institutions to contact patients on the day or the day after their test results are confirmed and ensure that they undergo health observation or medical examinations, which are currently organized by public health centers.
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