Japan to Introduce Routine COVID-19 Vaccinations for Elderly
A special group of the Japanese health ministry Wednesday approved a plan to change COVID-19 vaccinations into routine inoculations for people aged 65 or older in fiscal 2024.
Category: Coronavirus
Japan’s Princess Kako Tests Positive for COVID-19
The princess felt discomfort in her throat on Saturday night and developed a fever on Sunday morning, the agency said. She arrived in Tottori Saturday to attend a high school sign language performance contest in the city of Tottori Sunday.
New Round of COVID-19 Vaccination Begins in Japan
A new round of COVID-19 inoculation in Japan began Wednesday, mainly using vaccines that are effective against the XBB.1.5 subvariant of the omicron strain of the novel coronavirus.
The vaccination is available for free to all people aged 6 months or older who have received at least one shot. The round will run through the end of next March, with the vaccination costs covered by public funds.
Pandemic-Linked Depression Recognized as Work-Related in Japan
Japanese labor authorities have recognized depression developed by a woman who handled COVID-19 patients at an elderly care facility in Takarazuka, Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, as work-related, a lawyer representing the woman said on Friday 18th August 2023.
The woman, in protective clothing, changed diapers for residents, served meals to them and carried the bodies of the deceased residents. While working, she had to see the faces of the deceased residents, who were wrapped in transparent bags to prevent infection, the lawyer said.
New COVID-19 Cases in Japan Up 1.2-Fold from Previous Week
The Health Ministry said that a total of 54,150 new cases were found at some 5,000 regularly monitored hospitals across the nation.
Influenza Cases in Japan Remain Above Epidemic Level
The average number of cases reported by some 5,000 medical institutions came to 1.66, up 0.4 from the preceding week.
The figure had never remained above the threshold in July since the current counting method began in 1999, according to the ministry.
Pandemic Causes Developmental Delays for 5-Yr-Olds
The development of 5-year-old children was delayed by 4.39 months on average due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Japanese research group has found.
Japan May See Next Influenza Season Start in October
According to Japan’s health ministry, the average number of flu patients per regularly monitored hospital across the country stood at 1.29 in the week through June 18. Since peaking in mid-February, the number has remained above 1.0, indicating that flu infections are still spreading.
Japan may have entered 9th COVID-19 wave says virus expert Shigeru Omi
Japan may have entered its ninth wave of COVID-19 infections, an expert who served as the government’s top coronavirus adviser said Monday, stressing the importance of protecting vulnerable elderly individuals from the disease.
“A ninth wave may have started,” Shigeru Omi told reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to discuss the recent nationwide increase in infections after the government eased countermeasures, including downgrading the legal status of the disease to the same category as seasonal influenza in May.
COVID-19 Cases in Japan Up 1.09-Fold from Previous Week
The average number of new COVID-19 cases reported in Japan in the week through Sunday per medical institution stood at 5.60, up 1.09-fold from the previous week’s 5.11, the health ministry said Friday.
Barrier Free Japan 