Local governments are accelerating preparations for vaccinating people under 65 years old against COVID-19. Fourteen of Tokyo's 23 wards plan to begin their vaccination programs by the end of this month, according to a Yomiuri Shimbun tally, while other municipalities in the Kanto and Kansai regions are also speeding up such programs.
More than 1,000 companies and universities have applied to the government to open their own vaccination venues. With such efforts, it is likely that vaccination will soon be well underway for middle-aged and younger generations.
-- Sufficient supply
The Yomiuri Shimbun earlier this month asked Tokyo's 23 wards about their progress in preparations to vaccinate residents who are 64 or younger.
In Edogawa Ward, over 400,000 residents in that age range will be eligible for the inoculations. The ward government initially planned to start the vaccinations in July or later, but decided to move up the schedule to June. The decision was backed by the smooth progress of vaccination for the elderly and by companies and universities planning to carry out their own vaccination programs.
"Since we have a sufficient supply of vaccines, we plan to accelerate efforts to vaccinate those who cannot get their shots at workplaces," a ward official said.
The Shinjuku Ward government has over 200,000 people under 65 who will be eligible for vaccinations. It has sent vouchers to residents aged 60 to 64, who are expected to be inoculated soon. Vouchers for those aged 16 to 59 will be sent out on June 17.
The vaccinations were to start in late July, but Shinjuku Ward also decided to accelerate its schedule in light of the spread of infections, especially among young people.
The other nine wards in Tokyo said they plan to start inoculating younger people by the end of July.
Takasaki, whose population of 370,000 makes it the largest city in Gunma Prefecture, will start vaccinating about 20,000 residents aged 60 to 64 and those with chronic health conditions around July 15. The city government plans to set up in late June eight mass vaccination venues that will be open only on weekends and holidays, in an effort to accelerate vaccinating the elderly.
"We will speed up our efforts for vaccinating those under 65 as well," Takasaki Mayor Kenji Tomioka said.
The cities of Kyoto, Kobe, Fukui and Hiroshima plan to start vaccinations for people 64 or younger in July.
-- Over 200 people a day
Preparations are in progress at companies as well.
"We plan to inoculate 200 people a day here. Efficient flow lines are being examined," said Yoshiichi Asano, a human resources manager at Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co., at a hall in the company's headquarters in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, which is a planned vaccination venue.
Inoculations at workplaces will first start at companies with 1,000 or more employees, which are obligated by the Industrial Safety and Health Law to have a dedicated doctor. Companies wishing to implement their own vaccination programs will submit their plans to the central government after securing medical staff and venues on their own. When approved, they will be provided with vaccines, special freezers and syringes, among other equipment.
Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance has filed an application with the government. It plans to inoculate about 25,000 employees and related personnel, such as those working at contracted companies for security and cleaning, at two locations in Tokyo. It also plans to set up venues in Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka.
For those who do not wish to be vaccinated, it may be more difficult to say so with workplace vaccination programs than with those run by local governments. "We need to give due consideration so that we don't force people who do not want to be vaccinated," the company's doctor said.
-- Before summer vacation
Hirosaki University in Hirosaki, Aomori Prefecture, emailed its students on Wednesday, asking if they wish to be vaccinated. The university hopes to start vaccinations in late June for those wishing to get shots among a total of 7,000 students and staff, completing them before summer vacation starts and many students go back to their hometowns.
Keio University in Tokyo plans to start administering shots to about 50,000 students and staff on June 21. In addition to doctors at Keio University Hospital, other doctors and nurses who are university alumni have contacted the university to offer help.
"I'd like to get vaccinated as soon as possible so that in-person classes can begin," a female freshman student said.
However, a different university in the capital was told that the size of its site and the planned number of medical staff were not sufficient when it asked a firm that has managed vaccination sites take a look at its plan. "We realized again that it's quite demanding," a university official said.
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