Japan Prepares Fourth Dose Of Vaccine, Pfizer And Moderna Become Main Choices

JAKARTA - Japan is preparing to start administering the fourth injection of the coronavirus vaccine. The health ministry subcommittee has reportedly approved this plan.

Reporting from Japan Today, Thursday, March 24, the Japanese government said it would get additional doses from two US pharmaceutical companies. But the question of who will receive the additional booster injection will be determined later.

The subcommittee member agreement came after the government said it had agreed to procure a total of 145 million doses of the vaccine from Pfizer Inc and Moderna Inc to prepare for the launch of the fourth injection.

The subcommittee also approved administering the third shot of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine to children between the ages of 12 and 17, with vaccination expected to begin as early as next month.

A fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine is recommended in Israel and the UK, with recipients limited to medical staff and individuals at high risk of severe symptoms.

The effectiveness of booster vaccines against the highly contagious Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been found to diminish over time.

During the meeting, the members of the subcommittee approved a proposal by the ministry of health to prepare for the administration of a fourth injection, aimed at preventing the development of severe disease or symptoms, based on overseas data on its effectiveness and safety.

Under the proposal, Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are expected to be used for the fourth injection. Everyone who received the third dose was likely eligible, but the ministry will continue to study the matter.

The interval between the third injection and the additional booster is in principle a minimum of six months, but the ministry will re-examine the matter after considering the situation abroad.