Japan to consider downgrading COVID to same level as seasonal flu
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Japan will consider revising the pandemic restrictions as early as this spring, downgrading COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal flu, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida announced Friday. 
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with ministers, Kishida said that he had advised them to consider reclassifying COVID-19, a move that will categorize it as a Class 5 disease, the lowest rank, which includes seasonal flu. Japan currently categorizes COVID as a Class 2 disease, the same level as tuberculosis and avian influenza.
"In order to further advance the efforts of 'living with Corona' and restore Japan to a state of normalcy, we will transition the various policies and measures to date in phases," Kishida noted.
"As we try to restore the lifestyles of a normal Japan, we would like to shift various measures step by step," he added.
The decision comes at a time Japan has seen a drop in COVID cases in recent weeks, with new infections hovering around 100K per day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. recorded ~332K new COVID infections for the week ending Jan. 18 compared to ~5.6M cases a year ago.
CDC points out that high vaccination levels and public immunity have sharply cut the risk of COVID-related mortality and hospitalization for most people.
COVID-19 vaccine makers in the U.S.: Pfizer (NYSE:PFE)/ BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX), Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), Novavax (NVAX)
However, last week, the Biden administration extended the pandemic emergency for another 90 days, citing immune-evasive and highly contagious Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5.
The move came as the World Health Organization (WHO) scheduled an advisory panel meeting for next week to discuss whether COVID-19 should remain a global emergency.