As a countermeasure against the new mutant virus "Omicron strain", Kanagawa Prefecture has announced that it will advance the third vaccination to the elderly facility and start it by the end of the year.
The Omicron strain is extremely infectious, and infections of people who have entered the country from overseas due to airport quarantine, etc. have been confirmed one after another in Japan.
Kanagawa Prefecture held an infectious disease control council on the night of the 16th to discuss measures to prepare for the spread of Omicron strains.
Among them, Hideaki Anan, a doctor who directs the prefecture's corona measures, said, "The elderly have a high rate of becoming severely ill, and it is necessary to proceed with the third vaccination." The company has announced that it will move ahead with the third vaccination at a nursing home for the elderly and start it by the end of the year.
The target is estimated to be more than 100,000 people in the prefecture, and the prefecture plans to proceed with inoculation from the point where it is ready using the remaining vaccine in stock.
In addition, in response to the confirmation of 187 new contacts in the prefecture on the 16th who have been infected with the Omicron strain or are suspected of being infected, the prefecture said, "We will continue to accept more at accommodation facilities. It is difficult to do so, and we are working on the government to make it possible to wait at home and to reduce the frequency of PCR tests performed once every two days to reduce the burden on the health center.
Governor Kuroiwa said, "I don't know the exact identity of the Omicron strain yet, but it is important to proceed without optimism while gaining time for border measures."