As the third dose of the new coronavirus vaccine progresses, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to approve the modelna vaccine, following Pfizer.
In addition to occupational inoculations from March next year, we plan to use them for individual inoculations by local governments that used to use Pfizer.
On the 15th, an expert group of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare approved that the modelna vaccine will be used for the third vaccination for people aged 18 and over.
In response to this, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will soon approve it.
In a clinical trial conducted by Moderna in the United States, a third dose of half the dose was given, and the neutralizing antibody level one month after the inoculation increased by about 1.7 times compared to the same period of the second dose. Therefore, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has decided to inoculate half the amount for the third time.
Also, the time of inoculation is from the second time to 6 months or later.
Since it is expected that at least 97.5 million vaccines will be secured by June next year, the policy is to use it not only for occupational vaccinations starting in March next year, but also for individual vaccinations and large-scale vaccinations conducted by local governments.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has previously distributed Pfizer vaccine to individual vaccinations, but since the supply amount is uncertain, we will promote "alternate vaccination" using Pfizer for the third time for those who have been vaccinated up to the second time. I have decided.
Securing the third inoculation vaccine
This is the status of securing the vaccine to be used for the third inoculation.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has signed a contract to receive 120 million doses from Pfizer within the next year and 50 million doses from Moderna in the first half of next year.
Of these, Moderna says that it is equivalent to at least 75 million doses even if the amount that remains in the syringe slightly is taken into consideration because the third dose is inoculated in half, and when combined with the national inventory, it is 97.5 million doses. It is said that it can be secured.
At first glance, the vaccine needed for the third time is sufficient, but the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare believes that there may be a temporary shortage of Pfizer vaccine.
This is because Pfizer does not indicate a supply schedule.
Approximately 38 million people who have been vaccinated with Pfizer will be eligible for the third dose this year, but the country currently has only 16 million Pfizer vaccines in stock.
For this reason, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has a policy of using the vaccine of Moderna in the individual inoculation of the local government that used Pfizer so far, and it is said that it will be possible to choose Pfizer or Moderna when making a reservation.
According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, "If there is a shortage of vaccine, people who want Pfizer for the third time may not be able to get the vaccine immediately. Even if you switch to Moderna, the efficacy and safety will not change, so the third time you will be vaccinated with Moderna. I want you to consider. "