The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has begun to consider recommending that males under 30 be vaccinated against COVID-19 with the vaccine made by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., saying that there is a rare risk of heart inflammation after vaccination with the vaccine made by U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna, Inc. The matter will be discussed at an expert panel meeting on Friday.
The health ministry is considering recommending Pfizer vaccinations not only for those who are not yet vaccinated, but also for those who have already received the first dose of Moderna vaccine.
According to a summary of suspected side effects up to Sept. 12, there were 21.6 reported cases of myocarditis or pericarditis per million male patients under 20, and 17.06 cases for those in their 20s, after receiving the Moderna vaccine.
After receiving the Pfizer vaccine, the numbers were 1.87 cases per million for the younger group and 13.08 cases per million for those in their 20s.
The result shows that the frequency of post-vaccination myocarditis and pericarditis was higher with the Moderna vaccine.
The expert panel meeting on Oct. 1 concluded that "the benefits of vaccination are much higher" than not being vaccinated, even for the Moderna vaccine, because the frequency of myocarditis and pericarditis is still low. However, the health ministry has begun to consider recommending the Pfizer vaccine "just in case."
Overseas, Sweden has suspended vaccination of people under 30 with the Moderna vaccine, and Denmark has decided to specify the Pfizer vaccine for people under 18.
-- Lower infectivity seen
At an Oct. 13 meeting of an advisory body to the health ministry, Wakayama Prefecture reported that 80% of those who became infected after receiving two doses of COVID vaccine did not transmit the virus to others.
According to the survey, out of 235 fully vaccinated people who were infected between July 11 and Sept. 10, a total of 191, or 81%, did not transmit the disease to others. Among 2,111 infected people who had not been vaccinated or who had received only one dose of the vaccine, 1,515, or 72%, did not pass on the infection.
In response to the survey, Wakayama Prefecture officials have indicated that "two doses of the vaccine are effective in preventing the spread of infection in the region."
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