“We will assume the worst case scenario and prepare for the next wave of infections” says Japan’s PM Kishida

From Jiji Press

October 15 2021

TOKYO -The Japanese government at a meeting of an advisory panel on Friday presented an outline of its novel coronavirus measures, including a plan to convert beds at publicly run hospitals into those exclusively for COVID-19 patients to prepare for times of emergency.

Drawn up with a possible sixth infection wave this winter in mind, the outline also includes a plans to support research and development on oral COVID-19 drugs in hopes to putting them into practical use by the end of this year.

“We will assume the worst case scenario and prepare for the next wave of infections,” Kishida said.

He instructed related ministers to compile a more detailed outline of the government’s COVID-19 measures early next month.

As Japan experienced many deaths of COVID-19 patients who were self-isolating at home due to a lack of hospital beds during the fifth infection wave, the government stipulated in the outline presented on Friday that it would create a medical system capable of responding to the spread of a coronavirus strain twice as infectious as that seen during the fifth wave.