Coronavirus: Philippine cities halt jabs as stocks run out; Singapore ships oxygen supplies to Indonesia

Several cities including Manila’s main financial district have stopped first-dose inoculations as they await additional supplies

Elsewhere, Indonesia is appealing to Asian neighbours for oxygen equipment as cases spike, while Sydney will soon decide whether to extend a lockdown

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Filipino health workers ride on a makeshift raft during a house-to-house vaccination effort in Valenzuela City, Metro Manila. Photo: Reuters

Published: 12:50pm, 6 Jul 2021Updated: 10:27pm, 6 Jul 2021

Several cities in the Philippine capital region have halted their first-dose vaccination programmes 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, immunisation 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 1 million AstraZeneca 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 per cent of its population.

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