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May 12, 2021
Japan’s slow coronavirus vaccine rollout has again shed light on the cautious process in place for vaccine approval in the country, reigniting the question of how to balance drug safety with the need to combat a public health crisis in a speedy manner.
This challenge seemed to be on the mind of Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga when he acknowledged criticism of the nation’s inoculation program during a news conference last month.
“Most countries overseas don’t need to conduct domestic clinical trials for vaccines, but Japan does,” Suga told reporters. “I strongly feel that we need to revise laws to better respond to this kind of emergency situation.”
RESIDENTS It is a recipe for disaster, says Games volunteer Barbara Holthus. I am very scared for the country and very scared for the people of Japan. It is dangerous.
Holthus is one of 110,000 Tokyo 2020 volunteers a group who are feeling neglected by organisers.
While comprehensive playbooks have been published for athletes, officials and media, volunteers have received just a two-page pamphlet encouraging them to wear masks, use hand sanitiser and stay socially distanced.
They are not expected to be subjected to the same level of coronavirus testing as other participants and they will not be in the bubble , so can use public transport and visit restaurants and bars.
A rescue worker receives a COVID-19 vaccination in Tokyo on May 2. (Yuki Edamatsu)
Ambulance crews are among the unsung heroes of the pandemic, performing their essential task of rushing patients with fevers to hospitals even though many of them have yet to receive inoculations against the novel coronavirus.
In short, they are putting their lives on the line in carrying out their public duties, a situation that one health expert warned could prove catastrophic if the vaccination program does not pick up speed.
“If rescue workers become infected, who is going to transport patients with fevers,” said Koji Wada, a professor of public health at the International University of Health and Welfare. “The effects would be unfathomable.”
Looming Olympics fail to instill urgency in Japan s vaccine rollout Sorry, but your browser needs Javascript to use this site. If you re not sure how to activate it, please refer to this site: https://www.enable-javascript.com/
A doctor vaccinates a woman against COVID-19 in the village of Kitaaiki in Nagano Prefecture on Wednesday. | AFP-JIJI
AFP-Jiji Apr 23, 2021
Three months before Japan hosts the Olympics its biggest international event since the pandemic began the country has fully vaccinated less than 1% of its population, in a cautious and slow-moving program.
Olympic organizers and local officials stress that vaccines are not a prerequisite for the Games. Participants will not have to be inoculated before arrival, and there are no plans to prioritize vaccination of Japanese athletes or volunteers.