Japan has started distributing Covid vaccines to 40,000 health workers across the country
It has signed contracts with three major pharmaceutical companies to buy a COVID-19 vaccine inadequate doses
Japan began vaccinating health workers against the coronavirus on Wednesday and launched a preventive vaccination program more than five months before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
So far, Japan has only approved the Pfizer / BioNTech vaccine. And opened its first shot at a hospital in Tokyo on Wednesday morning.
Tokyo Medical Center director Kazuhiro Araki is the first person in Japan to receive a vaccine outside of a clinical trial.
“Vaccines play an important role in the anti-coronavirus effort, so i think as a director i have to lead and get staff,” he told reporters afterward.
“I don’t like lots of photos,” in addition he admits.
“But it doesn’t hurt, so it’s good. I’m relieved.
Sister Reno Yoshida, who had wearing a mask and face shield, was calm and relax when she was vaccinating.
“Deaths and disease risks are decreasing overseas. But we hope that vaccination from Japan can change the situation here,” he told public television NHK.
Subsequently, Deputy Health Minister Hiroshi Yamamoto told reporters that he has “very excited” to witness the first shot.
“I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the health professionals working at the forefront of the coronavirus,” in addition he says.
Twelve employees at the facility vaccinated in front of the media on Wednesday. Whereas 800 employees lined up for vaccination. Also, including administrative staff.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday that he “takes seriously the fact that it takes time” for Japan to start vaccinating compared to some other countries.
“But today we are starting and it is the government’s responsibility to prepare the environment to vaccinate many Japanese people.“
The initial plan of japan about vaccination
Japan plans to vaccinate 40,000 healthcare workers across the country and will study the effects of a two-dose vaccine on 20,000 of them.
Doses were administered every three weeks, with study group members being asked to keep a diary of side effects or reactions, local media reported.
The country then hopes to vaccinate some 3.7 million health workers by March. With one bite for about 36 million people aged 65 and over starting April.
The program will later extended to those with pre-existing conditions or to work with parents and ultimately the general public, but little is known about when.
Japan has signed contracts with three major pharmaceutical companies to purchase sufficient doses of COVID-19 for its 126 million residents.
However, so far only Pfizer Jab have approved despite AstraZeneca’s submission of approval.
Japan’s approval process is slower than some other countries as it requires additional internal testing.
But the country has also seen a much more limited outbreak than hard-hit countries like the UK or the United States.
Current covis-19 updates
To date, nearly 418,000 infections and more than 7,000 deaths have been recorded.
The spike in cases late last year prompted the government to issue a state of emergency, currently in effect in Tokyo and other parts of the country until March 7.
They are limited in size. And mainly required restaurants and bars close at 8 pm. People called in but not told to stay at home.
Read more: More than 27,800 Health Workers in Sindh are Vaccinated for Covid-19
Japanese Vaccination Minister Taro Kono told media on Tuesday that there was still no timetable for vaccinating the population.
“The Olympics are not really considered. I have to get off the vaccine while I get supplies from Europe.“
He also admitted he did not “know” how many people would be vaccinated against this summer’s postponed Olympics.
The virus response in Japan is being closely monitored with doubts. It still depends on the eligibility of the Olympics, which open on July 23.
As Japan has started distributing vaccines, organizers and officials outlined precautions against the virus that will ensure the safety of the Olympics. Even without participants having vaccinated or quarantine upon arrival.
