Japan to Start Booster Shots for All Individuals Who Received Second Vaccine Dose

Third Dose Vaccinations Begin for Healthcare Workers Starting December

On the first official campaign day of the Japanese House of Representatives election (general election) on the 19th, Prime Minister and ruling Liberal Democratic Party leader Fumio Kishida held a street campaign in northeastern Fukushima.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] The Japanese government has decided to administer a third dose (booster shot) of the COVID-19 vaccine to everyone who has completed their second dose.

According to local foreign media such as Kyodo News and NHK on the 29th, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare held an expert meeting that afternoon and decided on this policy.

The timing for the third dose is set to be 8 months after completing the second dose. The Ministry of Health plans to start the third dose with healthcare workers in December.

At the meeting, a U.S. study on how much the COVID-19 prevention effect decreases five months after completing the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine was introduced. According to the study, the prevention rate dropped from 89% to 39% for ages 16-44, from 87% to 40% for ages 45-64, and from 80% to 43% for those aged 65 and older.

Meanwhile, Japan began the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine with healthcare workers in February. As of this date, 70.9% of Japan's total population has completed the second dose. Regional vaccinations mainly used the Pfizer vaccine, while workplace vaccinations used the Moderna vaccine.