Several cities in the Philippine capital region have halted their first-dose vaccination programs as supply from the national government runs out.
Makati City, home to the nation’s main financial district, said the scheduled inoculation of frontline workers receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for the first time won’t push through on Tuesday. It also shut several vaccination sites in malls and schools, the city government said on Facebook.
Paranaque, Caloocan and Valenzuela cities have also stopped first-dose vaccinations as they await for additional supplies, while Malabon and Muntinlupa announced they will no longer entertain walk-ins.
Metro Manila and adjacent provinces account for about two-thirds of the Southeast Asian nation’s economic output. With over a quarter of the nation’s population, vaccination in the capital region is key to boosting domestic demand and reviving the economy after last year’s record slump.
The Philippines will receive about a million AstraZeneca Plc doses from Japan and 170,000 Sputnik V vaccines it ordered from Russia this week, presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Monday. About 2.87 million Filipinos have been fully vaccinated, less than 3% of its population. — Bloomberg