Corona Subcommittee “Emergency Declaration Should Be Issued” – Government Decision Tomorrow – Bloomberg

Photographer: Kiyoshi Ota / Bloomberg

Regarding the response to the new coronavirus, a subcommittee made up of experts said on the night of the 5th that if the contagion situation in the metropolitan area centered in Tokyo does not subside, there is a risk of a rapid epidemic at the national level and a situation of emergency. We have developed a proposal to support the publication of the Declaration.

As a concrete measure, we propose to reduce the risk of infection mainly in places to eat and drink, such as a greater shortening and a full opening hours. To improve your effectiveness, you are demanding that you work from home to the 70% goal, refrain from going out unnecessarily, and strengthen the requirements for holding events.

The subcommittee analyzed that the metropolitan area is already in the stage where measures equivalent to “Stage 4 (explosive spread of infection)” are required, which is the most serious index. Shigeru Omi, chairman of the subcommittee, said it would be impossible to go back to stage 3 considering the current infection situation, and that by the end of February or March “the infection will decrease.” It’s not impossible to do it. “

The government plans to hold an expert advisory committee on the 7th to decide on issuing an emergency declaration to each of the three prefectures after discussions.

At a press conference on the 6th, Secretary General Katsunobu Kato stated that he would focus on measures for restaurants based on the subcommittee’s recommendations, and would also show the idea of ​​canceling the plan when it was announced.

There are also voices concerned about the deterioration of the labor situation due to the issuance of the emergency declaration. Toshihiro Nagahama, chief economist at the Daiichi Life Economic Research Institute, reported on the 6th that about 75,000 people will be broadcast six months after the announcement of the restaurant-focused statement, and about 86,000 people including the extension of the suspension of the project to support the tourism “GoTo Travel”. It is estimated that there will be unemployment.

Nomura Research Institute executive economist Noboru Kiuchi also dates from 5In the column, he pointed out that there is the possibility that business closures will increase, and that “the employment situation may deteriorate again and the unemployment rate may increase significantly.”

The number of new infected people announced on the 5th by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government was 1,278 (884 the day before), the second highest in the past. The number of seriously ill cases was 111, surpassing the 108 the day before and setting a new record.

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