It has been 17 months since the first reported cases of COVID-19 in Japan. During this period, the government declared states of emergency on three occasions. The good news, reports the June 28 edition of Shukan Taishu, is that the end of the pandemic may be in sight.
“The rollout of vaccinations from February is making the difference,” occupational health physician Yoichi Shimomura tells the magazine. “By June 1, the number of people receiving their first jab passed the 10 million mark. If things proceed smoothly, ‘herd immunity’ might even be achieved by autumn.”