Japan declares emergency in Tokyo ahead of Olympics as UK considers help for India
Boris Johnson says he is looking at what he can do to help India, which is setting world records for deaths
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Your support makes all the difference.Japan has declared a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western prefectures amid fears that it will not be enough to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence before the Olympics in July.
For days, experts have said semi-emergency measures have failed in the country, which has not enforced lockdowns.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson says he is looking at what he can do to help India, which is setting world records for deaths as the spread of Covid-19 overwhelms hospitals in the country.
The UK government could potentially provide ventilators or therapeutics, the prime minister said.
In Britain, by contrast, scientists advising the government say there is nothing in the latest data to suggest that people will not be able to enjoy a relatively normal summer, though coronavirus cases may well rise as the autumn approaches.
A real-world study in Britain has confirmed that the UK’s two main vaccines provide all age groups with high levels of protection against the Kent coronavirus variant and are cutting community infections.
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Japan declares state of emergency in Tokyo ahead of Olympics
Japan has declared a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western prefectures amid scepticism that it will be enough to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence before the Olympics in July.
Prime minister Yoshihide Suga announced the emergency for Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Hyogo from Sunday until May 11.
The step is largely intended to be “short and intensive” to stop people from travelling and spreading the virus, Mr Suga said.
Japan’s third state of emergency since the pandemic began comes only a month after an earlier emergency ended in the Tokyo area.
For days, experts have said semi-emergency measures have failed and tougher steps were urgently needed.
The government in February toughened a law on anti-virus measures to allow authorities to issue binding orders for non-essential businesses to shorten their hours or close, in exchange for compensation for those who comply and penalties for violators.
This time bars, department stores, shopping centres, theme parks, theatres and museums will be forced to close. Restaurants that do not serve alcohol and public transport are asked to close early.
Schools will stay open, but universities will return to online classes.
Japan, which has had about half a million cases and 10,000 deaths, has not enforced lockdowns.
Osaka, the epicentre of the latest resurgence, has since April 5 been under semi-emergency status, which was expanded to 10 areas including Tokyo, a step promoted by Mr Suga’s government as an alternative to a state of emergency with less economic damage.
PM should rethink plan to allow foreign travel, warns Drakeford
The prime minister should rethink allowing foreign travel to resume next month given the coronavirus situation in India, Wales’s first minister has warned.
Mark Drakeford also warned a third wave of coronavirus was likely during the summer, according to the modelling, writes Chiara Giordano:
PM should reconsider allowing foreign travel amid India variant, warns Drakeford
‘This is a total collapse’: India’s healthcare system reels as Covid ravages country
The pressure on healthcare in the country has turned the situation into a tragedy of unprecedented proportions. It has 16.3 million total coronavirus cases, with predominantly the young taking hospital beds. Shweta Sharma in Delhi reports:
‘This is a total collapse’: India’s healthcare system reels as Covid ravages country
UK could go mask free, government advisers say
The UK should be able to look forward to a mask-free summer as vaccines do the heavy lifting in controlling Covid-19, government advisers say. Chiara Giordano reports:
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