Japan unlikely to ask people to curb activities despite COVID spike

Jul 14 (Kyodo) - The minister in charge of Japan's COVID-19 response said Thursday the government does not expect to ask people to curb social and economic activities again even as the country faces a seventh wave of infections in recent weeks fueled by the highly-transmissible BA.5 Omicron subvariant.

Daishiro Yamagiwa, who also serves as economic revitalization minister, said at a meeting of a coronavirus expert panel that the government has no such plan at this point and added, "We will appropriately respond to the spread of the virus by facilitating vaccination and utilizing testing."

To curb further spread of the virus through travel and socializing during the upcoming summer vacation period, the government is planning to request the country's 47 prefectures set up free COVID-19 testing sites at major stations and airports between Aug. 5 and 18 so people who have not undergone a third vaccination, among others, can check their infection status. ...continue reading

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