But even with the advantage of viewers’ general excitement, Beijing has an uphill battle as reports of human rights abuses and suppression of dissent linger in public memory.
It’s likely that more cases will be recorded than at the Tokyo Olympics, as Beijing is testing more frequently and the omicron variant is much more infectious than delta.
The U.S. gained more influence in Asia this year due to President Joe Biden’s administration brokering better diplomatic relationships and a recovery from the pandemic due to vaccines.
Everything from dose intervals to the behavior of unvaccinated people has shaped the outcome of recent delta-driven waves in different countries.
Competition to snag a piece of the COVID pill market is fierce, as the world adjusts to the virus being endemic.
Japan has given first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine to 63.6% of its population, surpassing the U.S. in the proportion of those who have had at least one shot.
Lisa Du, a reporter at Bloomberg’s Tokyo bureau, joins us to give an update on Japan’s vaccine rollout and the challenges ahead.
Daiichi Sankyo is aiming for full regulatory approval by the second half of next year.
The makeup of serious patients is now mostly those in middle age and younger — very different from the January spike, which saw very few serious cases in their 20s and 30s.
The nation's otherwise highly regarded medical system seems unable to adapt quickly to emergencies, or reform to meet such needs.
