The use of a vaccine for the Omicron strain of the new coronavirus has also been approved in Japan.
On September 12, an expert subcommittee of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare granted special permission for domestic use.
In the future, free inoculation will start after the procedure to position it as a public inoculation.
The "fourth vaccination" was limited to those at high risk of severe disease, but the "Omicron strain vaccine" is for all people aged 12 and over who have completed the first two vaccinations.
I summarized what kind of vaccine it is and when the vaccination will start in a Q&A format.
(Reporter Hiroshi Ichige, Social Affairs Department)
Q: What kind of vaccine is the Omicron strain vaccine?
The vaccine that has been approved for use is a vaccine that corresponds to the Omicron strain "BA.1" that spread in the sixth wave from the beginning of this year, and is also effective against the currently prevalent "BA.5". Expected.
It is a mixture of components derived from conventional strains and components derived from the Omicron strain "BA 1", and is called a "bivalent vaccine" because it is compatible with two types of virus strains.
We will be able to vaccinate after mid-September, and it is expected that all people over the age of 12 who have completed the first two doses will be vaccinated free of charge.
Q: How effective is it?
Due to the large number of mutations in the Omicron strain, conventional vaccines have been less effective in preventing infection and onset, and their effectiveness has weakened over time.
However, vaccines for Omicron strains are expected to prevent severe disease, as well as prevent infection and onset, although they may be short-lived.
According to the results of a clinical trial presented by Pfizer, when people aged 56 years and over were vaccinated as the fourth dose, they had a neutralizing antibody that suppressed the action of the "BA.1" virus compared to people who had been vaccinated so far. The value increased by an average of 1.56 times, and an increase in the neutralizing antibody value was observed against the currently prevalent BA.5, although inferior to BA.1.
Moderna also reported that the value of neutralizing antibodies compared to conventional vaccines showed an average increase of 1.75 times against "BA.1".
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that there were no serious safety concerns about the vaccines of both companies, and that the main side effects were fatigue and headache, but most were mild or moderate.
Q: When do vaccinations start?
A vaccine for the Omicron strain is expected to start soon after the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare officially decides to position it as a free public vaccination.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare plans to deliver about 30 million doses to prefectures, and the specific timing and amount are as follows.
[Week of September 19]
▽Pfizer vaccine about 10.1 million doses
▽Moderna vaccine about 1 million doses
[Week of September 26]
▽Pfizer vaccine about 10.1 million doses
▽Moderna vaccine about 1 million doses
[10 The week of the 3rd of the month]
▽ Pfizer's vaccine Approximately 7.8 million doses
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will distribute it to all municipalities nationwide in the week of the 19th, and is asking them to start vaccination sequentially from the municipalities that are ready.
Q: Who should be vaccinated?
It is expected that people who have been vaccinated for at least 5 months since the last vaccination will be able to be vaccinated, and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare expects about 68.5 million people to be eligible by October this year.
First of all, about 14 million people aged 60 and over who have not yet received the 4th vaccination, as well as people aged 18 and over with underlying diseases and medical workers, will receive it after mid-September.
Approximately 53.5 million people over the age of 12 are eligible for vaccination, and local governments will begin to vaccinate them sequentially based on the vaccination status of the elderly, etc., and it is expected that everyone will be vaccinated by the end of October.
In addition, among those who have already received the 4th vaccination, it is expected that about 10,000 people who were vaccinated in May this year, the earliest, will be able to receive the Omicron strain vaccine as the 5th dose from October 25th. is.
The timing of the start of vaccination for the Omicron strain and the timing of when all eligible people can be vaccinated will vary depending on the local government, but the country expects that the vaccine for all eligible people will be imported by the end of October. is.
Q: Don't you have to hit the vaccine so far?
Currently, the conventional vaccine is used for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd doses, and the 4th dose is given to those who are at high risk of becoming seriously ill, such as the elderly and those with underlying diseases. I'm here.
Of these, the first and second doses will continue to be given using conventional vaccines.
On the other hand, for the third and fourth doses, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recommends vaccination against the Omicron strain after it becomes possible.
In addition, we are calling on local governments to promptly switch to vaccines that are compatible with the Omicron strain and to prepare for a system that allows them to receive previous vaccines.
Q: Who do not want to be vaccinated?
Vaccination against the new coronavirus using conventional vaccines is positioned as a “obligation to make efforts” under the Preventive Vaccination Law from the perspective of preventing the spread of the virus.
If you are under the age of 16, you or your guardian will decide whether to vaccinate in consideration of efficacy and safety.
However, it is not compulsory and there are no penalties for not getting vaccinated.
In addition, the person can choose not to be vaccinated if they do not want it.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare wants you to think about vaccination for Omicron strains while comparing the benefits and risks such as side effects of vaccination.