The government has begun distributing the COVID-19 vaccine developed by British drugmaker AstraZeneca PLC to six prefectures currently under a state of emergency, including Tokyo and Osaka.
A total of 52,800 doses were to be delivered, for use in inoculation programs from Monday the 23rd.
The AstraZeneca vaccine will be administered only to people aged 40 or over in principle. However, it can be given to people under 40 in certain cases -- for example, when there are concerns about an allergic reaction to the vaccine manufactured by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. or the one developed by U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna, Inc.
In Kawaguchi, Saitama Prefecture, inoculations using the AstraZeneca vaccine will start on Monday. More than 80% of the 3,750 doses have already been reserved by residents, according to the Kawaguchi government.
Many of these people are in their 40s and 50s and "want to be vaccinated as soon as possible, rather than waiting for the vaccine made by Pfizer or Moderna," a city government employee said.
The Kawaguchi government arranged for the vaccinations to take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. to make it easier for people in this age group to get inoculated.
The Musashino city government in Tokyo will start inoculations using the AstraZeneca vaccine on Sept. 4. The city government said slots for 1,100 doses were already fully booked. They have also received inquiries from people in their 30s asking if they can get a shot.
The Osaka city government plans to start vaccinations with the AstraZeneca jab on Aug. 23, administering 3,780 shots per week. About 60% of the slots have already been booked.
--Pfizer booster secured
The government has secured doses of the Pfizer vaccine for third booster shots, Taro Kono, the minister in charge of COVID-19 vaccinations, said Monday in a program on Nippon Television.
Kono said "an agreement has been reached" with Pfizer to procure enough vaccine for people who have received two doses of the Pfizer vaccine to receive a third shot next year. Details were to be announced soon.
The government is scheduled to receive 194 million doses this year, enough for 97 million people.
It has also signed a contract with Moderna to receive 50 million doses next year, and is in talks with U.S. biopharmaceutical firm Novavax Inc. to purchase 150 million doses of its COVID-19 vaccine.
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