TOKYO: Japan’s government will drop its recommendation to wear masks indoors and downgrade its medical classification for COVID-19, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Friday (Jan 27).
The changes, effective from early May, will classify the disease on the same level as the flu, down from its current status on par with tuberculosis and SARS.
“As for masking, regardless of indoors and outdoors, the decision will be left up to individuals,” Kishida told a televised government meeting.
“We will take further steps towards ‘life with corona’ and make steady progress on returning to normality in homes, schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods and all facets of life.”