‘Worst of times’ to come for Covid in Philippines

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte said it is uncertain when the Philippines can get adequate Covid-19 vaccines while warning more people will die.

Mr Duterte said his administration has done its best despite criticism and he could use emergency power, for example, to take over hotels if hospital room shortages worsen.

But he said wealthy nations control the vaccine supply and other countries could hardly do anything but wait.

“I think before it gets better, we’ll have to go to the worst of times,” Mr Duterte said. “There’s no sufficient supply to inoculate the world.

“This will take a long time. I’m telling you many more will die here.”

The Philippines has received more than three million doses of Sinovac and AstraZeneca vaccines, most of it donated by China and through the Covax arrangement by the World Health Organisation.

The Philippines has been a Covid hot spot with more than 904,000 infections and 15,594 deaths.