TOKYO: Japan on Monday downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal influenza and greatly relaxed its related health measures, marking a major shift in its approach after three years of dealing with the coronavirus.

The reclassification of COVID-19 to Class 5 means decisions on anti-coronavirus prevention measures are now up to individuals and businesses, according to Kyodo news.

But experts are still calling on the government to ensure medical institutions can properly respond to another potential future surge in the number of infections.

The government has removed most of its guidelines, such as quarantine periods of seven days for people who test positive for the disease and five days for those who have been in close contact with an infected person.

Residents of Japan are also to be charged for coronavirus-related outpatient care and hospitalisation, although subsidies are available for expensive treatment. COVID-19 patients will also receive medical treatment in ordinary hospitals instead of designated facilities, it reported.

The disease was categorised in 2020 as a special public health threat equivalent to or stricter than Class 2, which covers infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS.

The government formally decided on April 27 to downgrade the coronavirus' legal status as the vaccination program, among other factors, has made the disease less deadly, while calls for rejuvenating the pandemic-hit economy have grown.

The preparedness of the health care system to withstand a future outbreak was also taken into account.

It added that under the reclassification, the government will also no longer legally be able to recommend hospitalisation for coronavirus patients or declare a state of emergency, under which governors were able to request the reduction of opening hours for businesses and could close or impose fines for those that did not comply.

The government said that around 8,300 medical institutions, comprised of 90 percent of hospitals nationwide plus some clinics, will have the capacity for up to 58,000 COVID-19 inpatients by the end of September, with around 44,000 institutions accepting outpatients, up from 42,000 last month.

Japan has already lifted its rules on the wearing of face masks from March 13, leaving the decision up to individuals.

-- BERNAMA