Coronavirus Cases Across Asia Are Again On The Rise Parts of Asia that seemed to have COVID-19 under control have witnessed fresh outbreaks. China, Japan and Vietnam, which had few or no cases in the past month or so, are seeing a resurgence.Heard onToggle more optionsParts of Asia that seemed to have COVID-19 under control have witnessed fresh outbreaks. China, Japan and Vietnam, which had few or no cases in the past month or so, are seeing a resurgence.NOEL KING, HOST:More than 18 million people around the world have gotten COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest death toll, but in Asia, cases...…Coronavirus Cases Across Asia Are Again On The Rise Parts of Asia that seemed to have COVID-19 under control have witnessed fresh outbreaks. China, Japan and Vietnam, which had few or no cases in the past month or so, are seeing a resurgence.Heard onToggle more optionsParts of Asia that seemed to have COVID-19 under control have witnessed fresh outbreaks. China, Japan and Vietnam, which had few or no cases in the past month or so, are seeing a resurgence.NOEL KING, HOST:More than 18 million people around the world have gotten COVID-19. The U.S. has the highest death toll, but in Asia, cases...WW…

U.S. Can Learn From Other Countries About Containing COVID-19 As the U.S. manages the coronavirus, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to three NPR correspondents in some hard-hit countries: China, South Korea and Italy, to ask what lessons the U.S. should learn.Heard onToggle more optionsAs the U.S. manages the coronavirus, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to three NPR correspondents in some hard-hit countries: China, South Korea and Italy, to ask what lessons the U.S. should learn.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:As daily life here in the U.S. changes to try to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, it's helpful to...…U.S. Can Learn From Other Countries About Containing COVID-19 As the U.S. manages the coronavirus, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to three NPR correspondents in some hard-hit countries: China, South Korea and Italy, to ask what lessons the U.S. should learn.Heard onToggle more optionsAs the U.S. manages the coronavirus, NPR's Rachel Martin talks to three NPR correspondents in some hard-hit countries: China, South Korea and Italy, to ask what lessons the U.S. should learn.RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:As daily life here in the U.S. changes to try to minimize the spread of the coronavirus, it's helpful to...WW…

Japan's Vaccine Rollout Lags Other Developed Economies With less than four months until the start of the Tokyo Olympics, some hesitancy and a slow approval process for imported shots are contributing to a sluggish rollout for COVID-19 vaccines in Japan.Heard onToggle more optionsWith less than four months until the start of the Tokyo Olympics, some hesitancy and a slow approval process for imported shots are contributing to a sluggish rollout for COVID-19 vaccines in Japan.NOEL KING, HOST:Japan just started vaccinating senior citizens this week. Older people make up about 30% of that...…Japan's Vaccine Rollout Lags Other Developed Economies With less than four months until the start of the Tokyo Olympics, some hesitancy and a slow approval process for imported shots are contributing to a sluggish rollout for COVID-19 vaccines in Japan.Heard onToggle more optionsWith less than four months until the start of the Tokyo Olympics, some hesitancy and a slow approval process for imported shots are contributing to a sluggish rollout for COVID-19 vaccines in Japan.NOEL KING, HOST:Japan just started vaccinating senior citizens this week. Older people make up about 30% of that...WW…

Short On Special Syringes, Japan May Waste Millions Of Pfizer Vaccine Doses Japan had purchased doses to vaccinate 72 million people, but without the appropriate syringes, it will fall 12 million people short.Japan may have several million fewer coronavirus vaccine doses than originally planned because the country does not have the appropriate syringes. It's another setback to one of the slower vaccination rollouts among developed economies. The Pfizer vaccine normally contains five doses per vial. But a special syringe known as a low dead space syringe, which expels more medicine from the...…Short On Special Syringes, Japan May Waste Millions Of Pfizer Vaccine Doses Japan had purchased doses to vaccinate 72 million people, but without the appropriate syringes, it will fall 12 million people short.Japan may have several million fewer coronavirus vaccine doses than originally planned because the country does not have the appropriate syringes. It's another setback to one of the slower vaccination rollouts among developed economies. The Pfizer vaccine normally contains five doses per vial. But a special syringe known as a low dead space syringe, which expels more medicine from the...WW…

Olympic Handbook Details Restrictions For Games During Pandemic Olympics organizers have released preliminary rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this summer's games. Among the changes: no cheering and high fives.Heard onToggle more optionsOlympics organizers have released preliminary rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this summer's games. Among the changes: no cheering and high fives.NOEL KING, HOST:A new handbook lays out the rules for holding the Olympic Games during a pandemic. In Tokyo, there will be no cheering and no high-fives. Those are just two of many restrictions....…Olympic Handbook Details Restrictions For Games During Pandemic Olympics organizers have released preliminary rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this summer's games. Among the changes: no cheering and high fives.Heard onToggle more optionsOlympics organizers have released preliminary rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19 at this summer's games. Among the changes: no cheering and high fives.NOEL KING, HOST:A new handbook lays out the rules for holding the Olympic Games during a pandemic. In Tokyo, there will be no cheering and no high-fives. Those are just two of many restrictions....WW…

COVID-19 Threatens Tokyo Olympics; Japan Tries To Remain Optimistic : Coronavirus Updates Officials are swatting away rumors and reports that the government has concluded that new coronavirus restrictions will force the cancellation of the already delayed games.Japanese officials are swatting away rumors and reports that the government has concluded that, with the Tokyo Olympics 151 days away and much of the country in a COVID-19 state of emergency, the games cannot be held. They dismissed an anonymously sourced by the British newspaper The Times that there is a growing consensus within the...…COVID-19 Threatens Tokyo Olympics; Japan Tries To Remain Optimistic : Coronavirus Updates Officials are swatting away rumors and reports that the government has concluded that new coronavirus restrictions will force the cancellation of the already delayed games.Japanese officials are swatting away rumors and reports that the government has concluded that, with the Tokyo Olympics 151 days away and much of the country in a COVID-19 state of emergency, the games cannot be held. They dismissed an anonymously sourced by the British newspaper The Times that there is a growing consensus within the...WW…

Japan Declares State Of Emergency For Tokyo As COVID Infections Surge : Coronavirus Updates Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces new voluntary restrictions amid alarm at rapidly increasing coronavirus case numbers.Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo region, as alarm at rapidly increasing coronavirus case numbers overtook concerns about economic losses. The emergency will take effect Friday, and last until Feb. 7. As with an earlier state of emergency last April, which was expanded nationwide, the latest restrictions entail no...…Japan Declares State Of Emergency For Tokyo As COVID Infections Surge : Coronavirus Updates Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga announces new voluntary restrictions amid alarm at rapidly increasing coronavirus case numbers.Japan's Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga declared a state of emergency for the greater Tokyo region, as alarm at rapidly increasing coronavirus case numbers overtook concerns about economic losses. The emergency will take effect Friday, and last until Feb. 7. As with an earlier state of emergency last April, which was expanded nationwide, the latest restrictions entail no...WW…

Kim Jong Un Admits Failures In Rare Display Of Contrition At a party congress gathering in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un acknowledged that policies of the past five years had been an abject failure.Mistakes were made. That's according to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who in an address to a ruling party meeting made a frank admission — that the country's policies in the past five years had ended in abject failure. "Almost all sectors fell a long way short of the set objectives," Kim thousands of delegates to the Workers' Party's 8th Congress who were seated in a huge auditorium in Pyongyang. The...…Kim Jong Un Admits Failures In Rare Display Of Contrition At a party congress gathering in Pyongyang, Kim Jong Un acknowledged that policies of the past five years had been an abject failure.Mistakes were made. That's according to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who in an address to a ruling party meeting made a frank admission — that the country's policies in the past five years had ended in abject failure. "Almost all sectors fell a long way short of the set objectives," Kim thousands of delegates to the Workers' Party's 8th Congress who were seated in a huge auditorium in Pyongyang. The...WW…

South Korea Faces Third Wave Of Coronavirus South Korea has weathered the pandemic well until now, when cases have spiked to new highs. And despite its vaunted early response, vaccination won't begin until February.Heard onToggle more optionsSouth Korea has weathered the pandemic well until now, when cases have spiked to new highs. And despite its vaunted early response, vaccination won't begin until February.LEILA FADEL, HOST:South Korea, one of the most successful countries in fighting the pandemic, is doing worse. Case numbers are growing during a third wave of infections. NPR's Anthony...…South Korea Faces Third Wave Of Coronavirus South Korea has weathered the pandemic well until now, when cases have spiked to new highs. And despite its vaunted early response, vaccination won't begin until February.Heard onToggle more optionsSouth Korea has weathered the pandemic well until now, when cases have spiked to new highs. And despite its vaunted early response, vaccination won't begin until February.LEILA FADEL, HOST:South Korea, one of the most successful countries in fighting the pandemic, is doing worse. Case numbers are growing during a third wave of infections. NPR's Anthony...WW…

South Korea Considers Tighter Coronavirus Restrictions As Cases Spike : Coronavirus Updates Amid criticism of the government's recent handling of the pandemic, the country is seeing more cases than at any other time in the past nine months.South Korea's capital recorded its highest-ever number of new coronavirus cases, 291, on Thursday, while nationwide there were 629 cases — the largest total in nine months. Amid criticism of the government's recent handling of the pandemic, it is considering tightening public health restrictions. That criticism — that the government has been too timid in...…South Korea Considers Tighter Coronavirus Restrictions As Cases Spike : Coronavirus Updates Amid criticism of the government's recent handling of the pandemic, the country is seeing more cases than at any other time in the past nine months.South Korea's capital recorded its highest-ever number of new coronavirus cases, 291, on Thursday, while nationwide there were 629 cases — the largest total in nine months. Amid criticism of the government's recent handling of the pandemic, it is considering tightening public health restrictions. That criticism — that the government has been too timid in...WW…