日新型流感對策

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

厚生労働省は、19 日, 新型インフルエザ対策の新たな運用指針を公表し, 徹底した感染防止対策から, 患者の重症化や大流行を防ぐ対策に重点を移す方針を決めました。これを受けて, 厚生労働省は,　２６日に 都道府県の 新型インフルエザ対 策の担当者を集めた会議を開き, 具体的な対応方法を說明しました。まず、 診療は、 原則としてすべての医療機関で行うこととし, 症狀のある人は、掛かりつけの 医師に電話をしてから受診するとしています。 症狀が 重くない患者は. 基本的に入院せずに自宅療養となりますが、その際は、熱が下がってから２日間は外出を控え、自宅で待機するよう求めています。

The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor in Japan has announced a new approach to deal with the new influenza. It has decided to shift its focus in handling the flu. It held a meeting with all organizations that are responsible for public health. The new approach is for patients who have the flu symptom to contact the family doctor. For those who are not in serious condition, they are not required to be hospitalized, instead, they are required to stay at home. Two day after their fever has receded, they may leave home again.

I think this new way of using resource of the family doctors is a good solution. It can lighten the workload of government hospitals and clinics. I hear that Hong Kong Government will announce some new approach in handling swine flu next week and I think the above information may be useful for their reference.