Companies give COVID-19 vaccines to workers, boosting Japan's rollout
22 June, 2021
Thousands of Japanese companies commenced distributing COVID-19 vaccines to employees and their own families on Monday (Jun 21) within an employer-led drive reaching a lot more than 13 million persons that aims to rev up the country's slow vaccine rollout.
Yuka Daimaru, among the Suntory staff getting the shot on a sprawling office floor, was visibly relieved after spending greater than a year fretting about the coronavirus.
“I was nervous, but it didn’t hurt around I thought it would,” she said. “Now I don’t need to worry as much on commuter trains or at meetings.”
The Tokyo-based beverage maker plans to inoculate 51,500 people, including part-time personnel and employees’ families, with the Moderna vaccine.
About 3,500 companies have enrolled in the free vaccines, and that number keeps growing. The companies must present an idea to inoculate at least 1,000 persons per site. However they decide whom to add, such as for example families, affiliate companies and suppliers.
Universities are also eligible. Smaller companies can apply through organisations, like the local merchant association, so ideally no person falls through the cracks, in line with the health ministry.
Among those taking part are major automaker Toyota Motor Corp, likely to vaccinate 80,000 persons at its plants and offices.
Fast Retailing, behind the Uniqlo clothing chain, is inoculating 18,500 people, including part-timers and cleaning and cafeteria staff, starting Jul 1.
Online retailer Rakuten said it’s vaccinating 60,000 personnel and their families.
Company applications for the vaccines are accepted through February 2022.
Japan is relying totally on imported vaccines for a campaign that were only available in February with medical professionals. Only about 6 % of Japanese are fully vaccinated. Japan has already established more than 14,000 deaths from COVID-19.
Vaccinations have already been slowed by bungled reservation procedures, unclear distribution plans and shortages of medical staff to give shots.
Local governments and Japan's self-defence forces are also leading the vaccination campaign, however the employer-led efforts are helping accelerate the pace.
Daisuke Sen, a human resources senior general manager at Suntory Holdings, said the vaccinations at his company will be completed by the finish of August.
The first day for the vaccinations came after weeks of work, especially scrambling to find doctors and nurses to carry out the shots, he said.
“Getting here means so much for me,” he said.
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