Japan to downgrade COVID-19 to seasonal flu status

On January 20, 2023 Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced plans by spring to downgrade the legal status of COVID-19 from a Class 2 disease to a Class 5, the equivalent of seasonal influenza. [1]

This means the relaxing of mask wearing, remove self-isolation rules and other anti-virus requirements and allow COVID-19 patients to seek treatment at any hospital instead of only specialized facilities.