Japan launched its first vaccinations against the novel coronavirus on Wednesday, beginning at 9 a.m. at the National Hospital Organization's Tokyo Medical Center in Meguro Ward, Tokyo.
About 40,000 medical workers at 100 medical institutions nationwide will be the first to be vaccinated. Half of them are expected to participate in a study to investigate the side effects of inoculations and other issues.
On the first day of vaccinations, doctors, nurses and other staff of the Tokyo Medical Center lined up in masks and face shields. They underwent a medical interview and received injections in their upper arm muscles.
Tokyo Medical Center director Kazuhiro Araki, who was the first to receive an inoculation, rolled up his shirt sleeve and looked slightly nervous before receiving the shot.
"I don't like injections, but I was relieved that it didn't hurt," Araki said. "It's important that the vaccine is distributed [nationwide] to prevent infections among hospital staff and spread by them."
After their vaccinations, the hospital staff waited in an observation area near the venue for 15 minutes in case of anaphylaxis, a serious allergic reaction. A stretcher for emergency use was also prepared near the venue.
The vaccine is manufactured by U.S. Pfizer Inc. and requires two doses administered three weeks apart.
The center said it plans to vaccinate about 800 people in the first-priority group, aiming to finish its first round of shots by March 10, and the second by the end of March.
First-priority vaccinations will gradually start over next week at 100 medical institutions nationwide.
After that, the first priority vaccinations are to be given to remaining about 3.7 million medical workers.
Second-priority vaccinations for about 36 million elderly people are expected to start as early as April, followed by about 8.2 million people with underlying conditions. Vaccinations of the second-priority group will be key to containing the spread of the virus, observers have said.
Vaccinations for the rest of the population are expected to start as early as this summer.
Side effects such as pain at the injection site have been reported, with 84.3% experiencing pain at the site, and 62.9% complaining of fatigue, among other symptoms, according to the production information accompanying the vaccine.
Overseas vaccination results have shown that anaphylactic reactions occur at a frequency of five times per 1 million doses.
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