• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

 
On August 3, 2021, the Prime Minister held an exchange of views with medical organizations at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The Prime Minister said in his opening address:
 
"I would like to express my sincere gratitude and respect to all medical professionals for their efforts day and night, and for their cooperation in administering vaccines. Thank you very much.

While ordinary healthcare is increasingly under strain with the increase in the number of emergency transport of patients suffering from heat stroke and other illnesses, the number of infected cases is rapidly on the rise as the infection spreads nationwide, resulting in a heavy burden on healthcare facilities.
 
The Government is doing its utmost to prevent the spread of the infection in order to contain it and bring it back to a downward trend.

Thanks to the cooperation of medical professionals, the administration of vaccinations is progressing faster than expected, particularly among those aged 65 or older who are at the highest risk of developing severe symptoms, resulting in the decrease in the percentage of such elderly people among all infected cases. On the other hand, the number of infected cases among younger generations is rapidly increasing with around 2,000 daily cases in Tokyo among those in their 20s and 30s, while more patients in their 40s and 50s are developing severe symptoms.

In light of the progress of vaccination and the changes in the infection situation, we shifted our policy yesterday to ensure that even in the event of a rapid spread of infection, the healthcare delivery system will be able to provide necessary medical services to anyone, depending on their respective symptoms.

In areas where the infection is spreading, we will ensure that patients with severe symptoms and those at a particularly high risk of developing severe symptoms, namely those with moderate symptoms who require oxygen administration and others suffering from diseases such as diabetes, will be hospitalized, while setting up a system enabling immediate hospitalization of other people in case their conditions worsen.

I would like to ask local clinics, which serve as close and reliable entities for patients, to monitor their situation and provide appropriate medical services through home visits and online consultations.

In order to support such initiatives, the Government has decided to distribute pulse oximeters while significantly increasing medical fees for home visits to new coronavirus patients recuperating at home or hotels.

We are also working on the dispatch of nurses and other staff over a wide area in order to support areas with tight hospital bed-capacities beyond prefectural borders.

We will also actively administer breakthrough therapy that reduce the risk of developing severe symptoms by 70% to those with underlying diseases in their 50s or over, thereby promoting initiatives covering patients at home as well.

I am determined to protect the lives and health of the people at all costs. In order to overcome this difficult situation, I would like to cooperate with the national government, local municipalities and all medical professionals. I would like to ask for your further support in securing hospital beds and strengthening measures for recuperation at home and hotels.”