Japan relaxes virus testing guidelines, scraps 37.5 C fever rule

The Japanese health ministry on Friday relaxed its guidelines for giving coronavirus tests to people who have developed a symptom of infection, scraping the rigid fever rule which has been criticized for denying many potential patients access to the tests.Before the latest guideline revision, the ministry focused on testing people who have developed prolonged symptoms of viral infection or those who are at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19 such as the elderly.The new rule no longer says people should seek consultation with a doctor after running a fever of 37.5 C or higher for at…READ FULL ARTICLE