Japan’s health ministry said Thursday those at low risk of developing serious coronavirus symptoms will be encouraged to use at-home test kits and online medical services this winter, when COVID-19 and seasonal influenza are expected to spread simultaneously.

Indonesia’s leader launched the country’s first home-grown COVID-19 shot Thursday to help reduce the world’s fourth most populous nation’s dependency on imported vaccines.

…So goodbye post- pandemic recovery, it was nice knowing you, however briefly….

Russia’s COVID-19 case tally rose by 15,477 over the past day to 21,264,080, the anti-coronavirus crisis center reported on Thursday.

…Shanghai is tightening Covid – 19 restrictions to combat a rise in cases, stoking fears of renewed disruption across China’s financial centre just months after it emerged from a protracted lockdown….

Japan on Thursday reported 45,690 new coronavirus cases, up 185 from Wednesday.

Spain held a full military parade to mark its National Day on Wednesday for the first time since the pandemic started in March 2020.

Almost 2.9 million people contracted a coronavirus infection in the week from October 3 to 9, more than 9,000 people died.

…BeiGen’s US-listed shares have fallen 63 per cent over the past 12 months, part of a sector-wide plunge after biotech stocks soared at the start of the coronavirus pandemic….

…Recovery from the pandemic will be at least as big a task for the health service as coping with coronavirus itself, the head of NHS England has said….