Aug 29 (Japan Times) - Vaccinations for the novel coronavirus will be secured for all citizens by the first half of next year, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced during a news conference Friday in which he put forward a series of policy packages and revisions that, together, represent a shift in the country’s comprehensive strategy to suppress the pandemic.
“Our fight with this invisible enemy began in January,†Abe said. “We have learned much over the past half year — about how to protect those who are most vulnerable and how to reconcile public health and economic recovery — that the country must utilize moving forward.â€
Reserve funds from the country’s second supplementary budget of fiscal 2020 will be used to procure the vaccines, the distribution of which, Abe said, will prioritize the elderly, health care providers on the front lines and those with pre-existing conditions.
The government will provide financial support to vaccine manufacturers and distributors should health problems trigger legal action.
Following the announcement Friday of Abe’s intention to resign, observers are concerned about the implications of a major leadership change during an ongoing health crisis.
