Tokyo, Nov 25 (IANS): Japan on Thursday lowered Tokyo's Covid-19 healthcare system alert level to the lowest after an infection assessment meeting with Tokyo Metropolitan Government officials.

The decision comes after the capital confirmed only five new infections the previous day, the lowest of this year.

The alert level of the infection situation has been kept at the lowest since October 28, and experts are now believing that medical institutions are capable of balancing treatment for the Covid-19 patients with ordinary care in a stable manner.

It is the first time that the alerts for both infection status and the healthcare system have been at the lowest level since the meetings began in July of last year, Xinhua news agency reported.

The number of daily confirmed Covid-19 cases has declined sharply across Japan after the inoculation programme was expanded to the general population, with the rate of fully vaccinated exceeding 75 per cent as of November 24, according to the government data.

The inoculation programme for the Covid-19 booster shots will start as early as December, the government has said. Those who want to get the booster shot need to wait for at least eight months after they received their second dose.

The health ministry also plans to expand the vaccination programme to children under 12 years old, which is possibly to start in February 2022.