Published February 8, 2021, 2:09 PM
A woman wearing a face mask walks past logos of Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo on February 2, 2021. (Photo by Behrouz MEHRI / AFP)
Japanese infectious disease specialist Atsuo Hamada wants to see the Olympics happen in Tokyo this summer, but admits if they were being held anywhere else, he’d probably support a cancellation.
“Even without the coronavirus pandemic, the Olympics as a mass gathering fosters all sorts of infectious diseases,” Hamada, a professor at Tokyo Medical University, told AFP.
With less than six months until the pandemic-postponed Games, organisers say they’re confident the event will be safe. But some medical experts aren’t so sure, and think cancellation is safer.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported 276 new coronavirus infections in the capital on Monday. The daily tally dropped below 300 for the first time since December 7.
Japan's Health Ministry officials have confirmed the number of patients with serious conditions has topped 1,000 the highest since the start of the pandemic.
Here’s a clear guide on where to get a coronavirus test in Tokyo, including how to get tested if you don’t have symptoms, how to book an appointment, order a self-test kit to be delivered to your home and how much each kind of test costs. You can also find a list of medical institutions offering COVID-19 testing certificates nationwide on this PDF, sorted by prefecture and municipality. Official test certificates are necessary for anyone planning to travel internationally.
Most private clinics will not accept test appointments if you are displaying symptoms of coronavirus. Visit the private clinics listed below if you are not displaying symptoms and need a negative coronavirus test certificate to travel abroad.
Correspondent The rapid spread of COVID-19 across the country has created a situation that could have a serious impact on people s lives and the economy.
That was the message from Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide at a news conference on Thursday as he declared a second state of emergency to help contain the virus. This declaration is less expansive, but more intensive, than the one last April.
The declaration covers Tokyo and the prefectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba. It will remain in place until February 7.
The key to curbing the virus is said to lie with dining and drinking establishments. Bars and restaurants are being asked to close by 8 p.m. and to stop serving alcohol an hour earlier. Residents are being asked to refrain from non-essential outings after 8 p.m. Businesses that fail to comply without good reason will be named publicly.