4th COVID-19 Vaccinations Begin in Japan

From Jiji

May 25 2022

TOKYO – A fourth round of COVID-19 vaccination, aimed at preventing the development of severe symptoms, began in Japan on Wednesday, targeting only people at 60 or older and those aged 18-59 with underlying conditions.

People aged 60 or over are obliged to make efforts to receive the fourth shot, or the second booster shot, against the novel coronavirus under the publicly funded emergency inoculation program, which is expected to get into full gear in June or later.

The fourth shot will be given to targeted people five months or more after their third shots. The COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc. are used in the fourth vaccination program.

The underlying conditions stipulated under the program as eligibility include diabetes, chronic heart and liver diseases, and obesity. Also eligible are people with low immunity for reasons such as receiving cancer treatment. They can receive the fourth shot if doctors judge that they are at high risk of developing severe symptoms once they contract the coronavirus.

Healthy people aged 59 or under, including medical professionals, are ineligible for the program.