TOKYO -- The Japanese government is set to shorten the stay-at-home period for those infected with COVID-19 to seven days from 10 at present. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to announce the change on Tuesday evening in a step aimed at moving the country closer to normal economic and social activity, while also preparing for outbreaks of new variants of the virus and rapidly spreading infections.
The government currently asks symptomatic individuals infected with COVID-19 to isolate at home for 10 days and asymptomatic ones for a week. After the change, the period will be shortened to seven days for symptomatic individuals as well. Officials are considering further shortening the isolation period for people without symptoms.
