Health

Japan Mulls 4th Vaccine Shots For Elderly, Chronically Ill Patients

TOKYO, April 20 (Bernama) — Japan is considering making the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions eligible for fourth coronavirus vaccine shots, in line with recommendations by the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, government sources said Tuesday.

The Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry will also consider whether to make medical staff eligible for the shots after some experts voiced support for the move, Kyodo news quoted the sources said.

The ministry will finalise the plan after hearing views from experts in a vaccine panel meeting slated for April 27, the sources said.

The move would mark a significant change in the way Japan has handled vaccinations for COVID-19, as the country has so far covered a wide range of age groups for inoculation.

Limiting the eligibility for the fourth shots stemmed from reports the effectiveness of such shots has been low in younger people and similar trends overseas where they have been mainly targeted toward the elderly, according to the sources.

The main purpose of vaccinations is to prevent the development of severe symptoms, for which third doses have shown to be effective in preventing in young people against the Omicron variant, according to the report.

However, the effectiveness of shots of U.S.-manufactured Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which are the two mainly used vaccine drugs in Japan, has been found to wane over time, prompting the health ministry to consider administering the fourth inoculations.

Sources: BERNAMA

Adib Mohd

Recent Posts

SEACare 2025 Solidifies Malaysia’s Leadership in Southeast Asia’s Healthcare Landscape

Malaysia’s commitment to transforming its healthcare system takes centre stage this week as SEACare 2025,… Read More

1 day ago

Drop: A First Date That Turns Into a Psychological Minefield

What happens when trust, trauma, and tequila meet at the same table?  That’s the unnerving… Read More

1 day ago

SME Bank Collaborates with Autism Cafe Project to Empower Autistic Entrepreneurs

Small Medium Enterprise Development Bank Malaysia Berhad (“SME Bank”) has partnered with The Autism Cafe… Read More

1 day ago

Pahlawan Malaysia 2025: Malaysia’s Premier Obstacle Sports Competition Set to Energize the Nation at the Curve, Mutiara Damansara

The Malaysia Obstacle Race Sports Association is proud to announce Pahlawan Malaysia 2025, the premier… Read More

1 day ago

Tesla Malaysia is Celebrating the ‘Earth Week’ to Rewards Owners in Conjunction with a ‘Refer and Win’ Campaign

Embracing the mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy, Tesla Malaysia launches the… Read More

1 day ago

Malaysia’s Viper Niza Racing On The Winners’ Podium At The 12 Hours Of Spa Francorchamps

Malaysians Douglas Khoo, Dominic Ang and Melvin Moh raced to a podium finish at last… Read More

1 day ago

This website uses cookies.