Coronavirus vaccine rolled out for frontline workers in NSW from Monday

Workers at Tokyo Medical Center were among the first of some 40,000 medical professionals targeted to receive the initial shipments of the vaccine.

The agreement involved acquisition of the first 12,799,800 doses of the vaccine for 20 per cent of the Malaysian population, with two doses for each person. "We now have better protection, and I hope we feel more at ease as we provide medical treatment".

Japan's approval process has been slower than in some other countries because it has required additional domestic trials.

Larger cities in California have continued to struggle with unpredictable vaccine supply, as major vaccination sites throughout the state have been forced to prioritize only second doses or shut down completely due to inconsistent supply from the state, CNN reported. Great Britain started inoculations on December 8 and has given at least one shot to more than 15 million people, while the United States began its campaign on December 14 and about 40 million people have received shots.

"We have been focusing on how to smoothly vaccinate the elderly, so we haven't yet been strategically thinking about future" shots for young people, Japan's minister overseeing vaccinations Taro Kono told media on Tuesday.

On the impact of anti-vaxxers on the national immunisation programme, Jemilah said such groups existed all around the world, but it was very small compared with those who understood science and support the vaccination.

Inoculations of 3.7 million more health workers will begin in March, followed by about 36 million people 65 and older starting in April. Now in L.A. County only healthcare workers, nursing home residents and people over age 65 are eligible to receive the vaccine.

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has said he's determined to achieve a safe and secure Olympics as "proof of human victory against the pandemic", but the prospect is uncertain given the state of the infections. Japan is now under a partial state of emergency in part because Suga's virus measures were too lax and slow.

All those who are the most vulnerable to catching COVID-19, including care home residents and staff, health and social care workers, people aged 70 and over, have now been offered a vaccination, with more than 15 million receiving them in the last ten weeks.

Tennessee will begin registering Tennesseans aged 65 and older and those in Phase 1b of the state's COVID-19 Vaccination Plan for COVID-19 vaccinations on February 22.