Experts Sign Off On Plan To Lift Emergency
A coronavirus advisory panel for the government has given the green light to a plan to lift the state of emergency for the Tokyo area. The declaration, covering four prefectures, is set to expire on Sunday.
Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide is scheduled to hold a news conference at around 7 p.m. on Thursday to explain the decision, and what comes next.
The government told the panel on Thursday morning that the strain on the healthcare system is easing, even though recent case numbers have been less encouraging.
The latest data for Tokyo shows the weekly average through Tuesday rose 10 percent. Experts are urging caution.
The chief of the advisory panel, Omi Shigeru, said, "We need to take thorough measures even after the declaration is lifted. In a sense, it's more important. We must avoid creating a burden on the medical system similar to what we saw in the past."
Even if the emergency is lifted, the government will continue to ask restaurants and bars to close early. Companies will still be asked to encourage remote work.
Large-scale testing will be carried out in major cities to identify carriers without symptoms. There are also plans to better detect variant strains.