Japan says it will bear cost of coronavirus vaccines for populace
TOKYO– Japan’s government said on Friday it would bear the cost of providing coronavirus vaccines to the populace, as it aims for a comprehensive inoculation against the pandemic.
The government also said it planned to establish funds to compensate for possible side effects from the vaccines. The plans were outlined in documents distributed at a briefing by Economy Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura, who also heads the coronavirus response.
Outgoing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had pledged the government would secure enough vaccines for every Japanese citizen by the middle of next year.
Japan has made bilateral agreements with overseas pharma companies to secure hundreds of millions of doses of vaccines that are still being tested.
It has also agreed to join a World Health Organisation effort that aims to buy and fairly distribute inoculations.
Article continues after this advertisementWith more than 70,000 cases and 1,334 fatalities, Japan has weathered the pandemic better than many other countries.
For more news about the novel coronavirus click here.
What you need to know about Coronavirus.
For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.
The Inquirer Foundation supports our healthcare frontliners and is still accepting cash donations to be deposited at Banco de Oro (BDO) current account #007960018860 or donate through PayMaya using this link.