Japan plans to launch app for paperless border entry! What are the details here! Find Below 👇

Japan's Digital Agency on Tuesday said that it will initiate an application software enabling visitors and returnees to go through simpler customs, immigration, and quarantine (CIQ) procedures from next week.

The ‘Visit Japan Web’ service, slated to be launched next Monday, will exempt travelers from submitting CIQ paper documents if they register beforehand on smartphones and other devices.

The Japanese government pushed for digitalization of the procedures in an attempt to help reduce the risk of infection and alleviate burden on officials at airport CIQ facilities, which have been affected by a shortage of staff.

Travelers need to register quarantine questionnaires and customs declarations containing their names, addresses, health conditions and other information via the app, reports official person.

Officials at border control will ask the travelers to show their smartphones or other devices to obtain information by scanning a QR code. The new app is expected to shorten the time of entry procedures.

The app will initially be available in English and Japanese, and other languages may be added later.

Japan has tightened its border control amid the spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, capping the number of daily arrival at 3,500.

^{Source is here}

Top Headlines- 

* Great news : DOH Bulletin today 

1. 235 new, cases. Though 8 labs were not able to submit data 

2. Positivity rate 0.9 % !

3. 10 deaths 

4. Hospitals in safe zone 

Test. Trace. Vaccinate. 

Get a booster. Stay focused.

*  Norway will ban the serving of alcohol in bars and restaurants, impose stricter rules in schools and speed up vaccinations as part of new efforts to limit an expected surge of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-14/norway-bans-serving-alcohol-covid-omicron/100697718

* The Department of Health says there is no ongoing procurement for 0.3ml vaccine syringes, since they are buying the 0.5ml vaccine syringes instead at P2.38 each.

* COPENHAGEN (Reuters) - Denmark will move forward the third coronavirus vaccination shot for people over the age of 40 to 4-1/2 months after the second shot, the health authority said on Monday.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-denmark-vaccine-idUSKBN2IS0RR

*  California announces statewide mask mandate for indoor public places - BNO

*  The Omicron variant of coronavirus is spreading quickly in several countries where it has been discovered. Even if it causes only mild disease -- and that's far from certain -- that could still mean many people end up in the hospital and dying.

It's killed at least one person in the UK and put 10 into the hospital -- most of them vaccinated, according to government authorities.

"It is spreading faster than the Delta variant in South Africa where Delta circulation was low, but also appears to spread more quickly than the Delta variant in other countries where the incidence of Delta is high, such as in the United Kingdom," the World Health Organization said in a technical briefing last week.

* AirAsia resumes its international services, kicking off with flights from Bangkok to the Maldives.

* In the wake of Monday’s summit between South Korea and Australia, President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Scott Morrison adopted a joint statement on territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

* Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia issued a memorandum dated Tuesday, December 14, 2021, that enjoins all mayors in the Cebu Province to take all necessary precautions and preparations for the arrival of Typhoon Odette, which is expected to reach Cebu on Friday, December 17. 

Suspension of work and other measures may be implemented by the local chief executive as the need arises. Via IRT