EXPLAINER: Why Japan has been slow to roll out vaccinations
MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press
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TOKYO (AP) Japan s rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began belatedly in mid-February, months behind the United States and many other countries. Officials blamed a shortage of Pfizer Inc. vaccine from Europe as the main culprit in the delay. But three months later, with shipments stabilized and officials attempting to accelerate vaccinations, Japan remains one of the world s least protected.
Officials say there is a critical shortage of trained staff to give shots. Despite Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s pledge to have all eligible people fully vaccinated by the end of September, some officials say it could take until next year. It will be impossible for Japan to achieve protective “herd immunity” in the two months before the Tokyo Olympics are to begin.
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