Today's Close-Up

The Battle Between Variants and Vaccines (2021x16)

Date de diffusion: Jun 17, 2021

The spread of coronavirus variants in Japan is putting younger people at risk of serious illness. Despite this, many parts of the country are still focusing their vaccine rollouts on the elderly. With cluster infections breaking out at schools and daycare centers, calls are growing to open up vaccinations to younger people and those who work in high-risk settings. Meanwhile, experts warn of the risks of unique variants emerging in the country and are urging for the development of domestically produced vaccines. Guest: Hasegawa Hideki (Director, Center for Influenza and Respiratory Virus Research, National Institute of Infectious Diseases)