How to self-test for COVID in Japan, and which antigen kits to use
Two kinds of antigen test kits are available, but most municipalities only accept those identified as being for medical use. Here's a guide on where and how to get them.
China COVID victory claim undermined by arrests and sudden closures
Continued lockdowns for some Shanghai residents have resulted in conflicts with police, while a flash shutdown of a luxury shopping mall trapped shoppers and staff inside.
China plans for years of 'COVID zero' strategy with tests on every corner
A network of tens of thousands of lab testing booths are being set up across the country, with the goal of having residents always just a 15 minute walk away from a swabbing point.
Japan team’s COVID-19 testing device gives PCR-level results in nine minutes
The device is capable of identifying mutant strains of COVID-19 and can also be configured to detect many types of viruses, including influenza, at once.
Japan scraps airport COVID-19 tests for arrivals from low-risk nations
The government is aiming to avoid overburdening airport quarantine staff through the drastic relaxation of its COVID-19 border control measures.
Test, test, test? Scientists question costly mass COVID-19 checks
The dominance of the relatively milder omicron variant and the availability of vaccines and treatments means governments should consider more strategic policies, some experts say.
COVID tests still in short supply in Japan despite peak of sixth wave
Many pharmacies and doctors are complaining that they cannot get hold of PCR or antigen tests, but there are signs that supply will soon improve.
COVID’s endemic shift means a slowdown for virus product makers
Demand for at-home tests will probably slow first while sales of more reliable PCRs will show more resilience, according to medical supply executives.
Unverified studies, unproven claims and out-of-context data are regularly shared on websites and social media across the globe — fueling dangerous myths about COVID-19 and the vaccines.
PCR testing centers in Tokyo busy with people returning home for New Year's
The discovery of community-acquired cases of the omicron variant in some parts of Japan have prompted many to undergo a PCR test before returning home.
More community-acquired omicron cases were reported in Osaka and Kyoto on Thursday, while a large cluster of coronavirus infections has emerged at the U.S. military's Camp Hansen in Okinawa.
We have to live with COVID. Here’s how we get our lives back.
Two years into the pandemic, the emergence of yet another COVID-19 variant means the world will need to find long-term strategies to coexist with delta, omicron and the strains to come.
