A group of experts who advise the government on its pandemic response will propose foregoing tests for young people if the omicron variant spreads further in the country, people familiar with the matter said Friday.
Young people who may have been infected with the coronavirus should be diagnosed based solely on their clinical symptoms, rather than via COVID-19 tests, according to the groupтАЩs proposal.
The group drew up the proposal in a bid to prevent JapanтАЩs medical system and COVID-19 testing capacity from becoming strained. The draft proposal was presented at a meeting of experts at the health ministry on Thursday, the people said.
The omicron variant has been found to be far more transmissible than the highly contagious delta variant, but omicron also has a lower rate of causing serious illness.
Many young people without underlying conditions have developed only mild symptoms тАФ if they have any symptoms at all тАФ after being infected with the omicron variant, and they are often able to recover without being admitted to hospital.
But the medical system may become strained if the omicron variant rages further and the number of young people taking COVID-19 tests surges.
This could lead to older people тАФ at higher risk of developing severe symptoms тАФ being unable to receive medical care. Treatment for non-COVID-19 patients could be affected, too.
At ThursdayтАЩs meeting, officials said the medical capacity to deal with COVID-19 patients with mild and moderate symptoms may come under strain quickly if infections continue to spread rapidly among young people.
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