■ Japan extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas.
Infections not waning as Olympics approach
Japan on Friday extended a coronavirus state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas for 20 more days, with infections still not slowing as it prepares to host the Olympics in late July.
Cases remain high and medical systems in Osaka, the hardest-hit area in western Japan, are still overburdened, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said in announcing the decision.
“I am aware that many people are voicing concern about holding the Olympics and Paralympics,” he said. “I take them seriously, and I will proceed with preparations for a safe and secure games.”
He said the next three weeks are “an extremely important time for us to achieve results” in a two-pronged battle to control infections while expanding vaccinations.
The current state of emergency in the capital and eight other metropolitan areas was to end Monday, but hospitals in some areas are still overflowing with COVID-19 patients and serious cases have recently hit new highs.
The 20-day extension covers nine areas from Hokkaido in the north to Fukuoka in the south. A 10th area, the southern island prefecture of Okinawa, is already under emergency status through June 20.
Olympic organizers must decide at about that time whether to allow any fans, after overseas spectators were banned months ago. A plan to prioritize vaccinations for Japanese athletes is expected to begin around then, according to media reports.
The Olympics are scheduled to start July 23 after a one-year postponement due to the pandemic, and worries about new variants and Japan’s slow vaccination rollout have triggered calls from the public, medical experts and even a sponsor to cancel the games.
Only 2.3 percent of Japan’s population has been fully vaccinated.
Still, Suga and his government are determined to host the Olympics. The International Olympic Committee has also said the games will go ahead even if host city Tokyo is under emergency measures.
In other developments:
■ The European Medicines Agency on Friday recommended that the use of the coronavirus vaccine made by Pfizer and Biontech be expanded to children ages 12 to 15.
■ Canada’s most populous province is shortening the interval between doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, starting with adults aged 80 and older next week. The province says the shortened interval could be as small as 28 days for the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in the coming months. Those who got a first shot of the Astrazeneca vaccine will be offered a second dose after 12 weeks.
■ The U.K. has authorized for use another coronavirus vaccine amid growing concerns about a rise in new infections as the variant of the virus first identified in India spreads around the country. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency says the single-dose vaccine made by Johnson & Johnson has met “the expected standards of safety, quality and effectiveness.”