Philippines starts Covid-19 vaccination drive amid supply woes, vaccine wariness, SE Asia

MANILA – The Philippines began the biggest and most crucial inoculation drive in its history on Monday (March 1), seeking to push back a pandemic that has so far claimed the lives of more than 12,000 Filipinos. Dr Gerardo Legaspi, head of the country’s largest public hospital, received the first of over 600,000 doses of a Covid-19 vaccine China’s Sinovac flew to the Philippines on Sunday. The government’s top ministers, including “vaccine czar” Carlito Galvez, and staff at six hospitals in Metro Manila afterwards lined up to get their own shots. "Let's not wait for the best vaccine. There's no…