TOKYO (Reuters) – The Japanese head of the vaccine program stepped back on Friday on a goal to secure enough targeted supplies of COVID-19 vaccines by June, one month before the planned start of the Tokyo Olympics.
Taro Kono, the newly installed head of Japan’s vaccination system, told reporters on Thursday that “old information” was behind a spokesman’s comments that the government expects to have enough vaccinations for the targeted population by the middle of the year. .
“We are currently preparing to start vaccinating at the end of February,” Kono said. “We want to provide information on what will happen next if things work out.”
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has promised to have enough shots for the Japanese people by mid-2021. But manufacturing and distribution problems have hampered the distribution of vaccines around the world, and Japan is already holding the major economies in the forefront of its vaccination campaign.
Kono said Pfizer’s vaccine would be used for the first shots, with 10,000 medical workers at 100 hospitals. The next priority for medical workers was to vaccinate the elderly, people with health conditions and workers for the elderly.
Japan has entered into deals to buy 144 million doses, which is enough to vaccinate 72 million people, from Pfizer. It also received 50 million doses from Moderna Inc and 120 million from AstraZeneca Plc. In total, that would be more than enough for the Japanese population of 126 million.
Japan requires domestic trials for vaccines before regulatory approval is granted. Pfizer’s is expected to be approved next month, while Moderna began its first domestic trial on Thursday. AstraZeneca has conducted a trial in Japan, but has not yet applied for approval.
Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Rocky Swift; Edited by Ana Nicolaci da Costa