Osaka governor not falling for the swine flu panic
As panic spreads about the H1N1 flu outbreak in Kansai, Osaka governor Toru Hashimoto has kept calm and requested that the central government let him switch from a hypersensitive reaction to the flu to something slightly more sane:
“The measures we have taken have assumed a high virulence akin to avian flu, but the swine flu virus appears to be less virulent,” Hashimoto said. “At some point, we must shift our line of action to something appropriate for seasonal influenza.”
According to the Japanese government’s pandemic flu action plan, in the second phase, or “early stage of domestic outbreak,” patients must be hospitalized at designated medical facilities. Osaka, however, has approved patients to recuperate at home, depending on their condition — the first prefecture to take such measures, according to prefectural officials.
Hats off to Mr. Hashimoto for talking some sense!
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