Drug companies are planning to hike up prices on vaccines as soon as COVID-19 is no longer considered a pandemic

New York, March 22 (RHC)-- The Intercept reports Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are planning to hike up prices on vaccines as soon as COVID-19 is no longer considered a pandemic.  Health experts say COVID-19 will likely become endemic, and people will continue to require regular shots, much like the flu.

AstraZeneca, which also vowed not to profit from the pandemic, could declare it is over as early as July.

In other news, Chile has recorded its highest daily caseload yet, and officials say over a quarter of deaths this year are due to COVID-19.  The surge comes despite relatively high vaccination rates, with 15% of the population fully vaccinated.

In Japan, organizers for the July Tokyo Olympics are barring international spectators.  After delaying the Olympics one year, officials pushed ahead with the event this summer despite health experts warning against it.

In Europe, France and Poland are the latest countries to reinstate partial lockdowns amid fresh coronavirus surges.