The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has revised the standards so that those who are infected with the new coronavirus but have not shown any symptoms can be discharged from hospitals earlier.
Under the previous standards, those infected with the virus are required to be hospitalized for 14 days after testing positive in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
But the new standards allow them to leave the hospital 10 days after the PCR test. They are also allowed to be discharged from the hospital after negative results in two tests conducted six days after the initial inspection. The two tests are to be carried out at an interval of more than 24 hours.
The ministry shortened the period for hospitalization from 14 days to 10 days based on standards set by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others. People who stay at accommodations or at home while infected with the virus can return to their normal lives under the same new standards.
On the other hand, those who have symptoms caused by the virus are allowed to leave the hospital no earlier than 10 days since the start of the symptoms -- and it must also be three days since a lessening of the symptoms.
The ministry eased the domestic standards in response to criteria set in May by the World Health Organization to terminate infection prevention measures not just 10 days after the start of the symptoms, but also three days after they disappear.
Even if a patient's symptoms subside earlier than the 10-day mark, the requirement for being discharged from hospital -- testing negative twice -- is maintained.
Read more from The Japan News at https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/
