Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong last week re-imposed Covid-19 control measures.
Hong Kong’s special region also closed bars and nightclubs, days after officials postponed the launch of a `travel bubble` with Singapore, a highly anticipated trial in which places with
Asia was once considered a `stronghold` before Covid-19, when countries and territories here recorded the number of new nCoV infections only a small fraction compared to the West.
However, this infection rate is still high enough to sound the alarm about the dangers of a pandemic, especially in places with many elderly people like Japan and in the context of colder winter weather.
Protesters protesting against wearing masks in Tokyo, Japan, on November 21.
Experts say that pandemic fatigue is an important factor leading to the emergence of the third wave of Covid-19.
In the Japanese capital Tokyo, people still wear masks when walking on the streets.
`Our control measures rely on voluntary behavior change,` said Hitoshi Oshitani, a Tohoku University professor and member of the Japanese government’s Covid-19 advisory group.
South Korean Deputy Minister of Health Kang Do-tae on November 24 warned about the combination of three factors causing nCoV to spread more strongly, including asymptomatic infections, transmission in the young community and
`The unforeseeable development of the third wave of Covid-19 portends an even harsher and more difficult winter,` Kang told South Korean government officials at a meeting to discuss the response.
Experts say that apathy is increasingly dangerous as the flu epidemic gradually reaches its peak, leaving hospital beds empty.
To rescue the economy from a record slump, the Japanese government launched travel and dining subsidy programs in July and October respectively, which reimbursed consumers up to half
On November 23, the governors of Hokkaido and Osaka announced they would withdraw their capital cities from the subsidy program, a decision approved by the central government the next day.
`It’s clear that people’s movements are affecting the increase in nCoV infections. According to our observations, the virus spreads while people go out to eat and drink, then is brought back to households.`
Meanwhile, the opposition blames the government for acting too slowly.
In South Korea, a country hailed as a model for effective epidemic control, officials continue to battle small but persistent outbreaks.
`Infections from the first two waves leave lingering risks in the community. They will flare up when social distancing rules are lifted without appropriate preparation. Different from the situation
In Hong Kong, a cluster originating from dance clubs broke the record of no or few nCoV infections in the community for many weeks.
The special zone government seems to have been slow in patching vulnerabilities that could open the way for the virus to penetrate, such as the lax work of quarantining people returning from abroad.
`Videos and photos at dance clubs show that people completely do not comply with epidemic prevention regulations. It seems that the new wave of infections will be quite serious,` Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today.