WAKAYAMA -- High school students were among the recipients of COVID-19 vaccinations in the village of Kitayama in Wakayama Prefecture on Saturday, as the vaccine batch delivered for the inoculation of elderly residents contained enough to administer two doses to all eligible residents in the village, which has a population of 432.
An 18-year old high school student who received a dose at the only clinic in the village was grateful for the opportunity, but also expressed awareness that "vaccines are in short supply throughout the nation."
Since early April, the central government has provided at least one box of COVID-19 vaccine to every municipality across the nation for the vaccination of elderly residents. The village received a batch on May 2 that contained enough vaccine to administer 975 doses.
Of the village's 432 residents, 383 people aged 16 or older were eligible for vaccination as of April, of whom 318 people want to receive a shot.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry permits municipalities with low populations to administer vaccines to eligible residents regardless of age.
The village opened vaccinations to all eligible residents on May 10 and it has been administering doses to about 60 people a day. By June 5, the village will have administered two shots to all eligible residents who want to be vaccinated, after which it will be left with a surplus of up to 339 doses that will be provided to other municipalities in the prefecture via the prefectural government.
A box of vaccine contains 975 doses: enough to administer two doses to a maximum of 487 people. According to Basic Resident Registration data, nine other villages have populations of 487 people or fewer, including the island village of Awashimaura in Niigata Prefecture. The villages plan to administer or have started administering vaccines to eligible residents of all ages.
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