Japan began vaccinating healthcare workers against the coronavirus

Tokyo, Feb 17 (AFP/APP): Japan began vaccinating healthcare workers against the coronavirus on Wednesday, rolling out a cautious inoculation programme with just over five months until the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

Japan has so far approved only the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine, and started administering the first shots at a Tokyo hospital on Wednesday morning. Tokyo Medical Centre director Kazuhiro Araki became the first person in Japan to receive the vaccine outside of clinical trials. “The vaccine plays an important role in anti-coronavirus measures. So I thought as a director I should take the lead and get the shot,” he told reporters afterwards. “I don’t like getting shots very much,” he admitted.

“But it wasn’t painful, so it was good. I was relieved.” Nurse Rino Yoshida, wearing a face mask and visor, was calm and relaxed as she was vaccinated. “The mortality rate and the risk of illness have gone down overseas, so hopefully vaccinations starting in Japan can change the situation here,” she told public broadcaster NHK.

Stay tuned to baaghi tv for latest news and updates!