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On the 15th, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare presented to the Subcommittee of the Ministry of Infectious Diseases an outline of the bill to reform the Infectious Diseases Law to strengthen measures against the new coronavirus, and it was approved. The pillars are to introduce sanctions for infected people who do not follow hospitalization recommendations and strengthen the authority of governors to request the cooperation of medical institutions. Attendees asked the reasons and effects of the introduction of sanctions, but the ministry did not provide specific details or data on the sanctions. The government will present a revised bill to the ordinary parliament convened on the 18th, with the aim of prompt enactment.
◆ Strengthening the authority of national and local governments.
In the summary presented by the subcommittee, in addition to the infected people who rejected the hospitalization recommendations, new sanctions were established for infected people who did not respond to the “active epidemiological investigation” of the health center, which tracks who are the close contacts . Mildly infected individuals who are not subject to hospitalization recommendations are legally positioned to stay and receive medical treatment at home.
In addition, measures have been incorporated to strengthen the authority of national and local governments in the context of the lack of a fluid collection of information on infected people and the acceptance of corona patients by private hospitals. Specifically, the medical staff’s request for cooperation was reviewed as a “recommendation” and the name of the hospital could be announced if it was not followed without a justifiable reason.
Since the deadline to classify new coronavirus infections as “designated infectious diseases” will expire at the end of January next year, “new influenza infections, etc.” We will also make reviews that position it as “disease.”
◆ “What is the basis for the sanctions?”
As for penalties for infected people who do not follow the hospitalization recommendation, the government is considering criminal penalties of “up to a year in prison or a fine of up to one million yen,” but did not show it to the group on the day. 15. Attendees asked a series of questions such as “I want you to demonstrate why the spread of infection will not stop unless sanctions are introduced” and “The work of the health center will continue to increase.” Although some called for further discussion, the subcommittee approved the amendment outline.
Mr. Masabayashi, Director of the Ministry of Health, explained that he was asked to show the reasons for introducing sanctions, “it is difficult to understand (the reasons) in a comprehensive way.” “Most of the sanctions are criminal from the perspective of addressing the serious health risks of the Infectious Diseases Act,” he asked for understanding.
