Prognosis

Philippines Begins Covid Vaccinations With Shots From China

Containers of the Sinovac Biotech Ltd. Covid-19 vaccine arrive on a Chinese military aircraft in Manila, on Feb. 28.Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg
Lock
This article is for subscribers only.

The Philippines on Monday started vaccinations against the coronavirus using Sinovac Biotech Ltd. doses donated by China, planning to further reopen the economy that suffered its worst slump last year. Stocks rose.

Health workers in government hospitals were the first to get the Sinovac jabs. “Let’s not wait for the best vaccine. There’s no such thing,” said Carlito Galvez, who leads the nation’s vaccine procurement efforts. “The best vaccine is the one that’s safe and effective, and arrives early.”