Japan to donate AstraZeneca shots to Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Japan will be donating an unspecified number of AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine doses to the Philippines, its envoy to Manila announced Tuesday.

Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko did not mention when exactly the much-needed shots will arrive, but said that they “will make sure to deliver them at the soonest possible time.”

The health ministry of Japan approved the AstraZeneca vaccine for emergency use in May and is using this alongside Moderna’s jab for its mass vaccination campaign that has been lagging behind other developed countries.

Japan struck a deal for 120 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by the British-Swedish drugmaker. — Xave Gregorio