Health

Japan approves 4th Covid-19 jab for elderly, chronically ill

Tokyo, Apr 27 (EFE).- Japan Wednesday approved the fourth dose of Covid-19 vaccines for those aged 60 and above and people of all age groups with underlying health conditions.

Vaccines developed by the United States pharma firms, Moderna and Pfizer, will be used for the second booster or the fourth dose.

The second booster will be given to those who have received their first at least five months ago.

However, the health department has not yet specified when they will roll out the new booster dose.

The department also did not rule out expanding the fourth shot for all age groups in the future.

“We will examine the scope of coverage while looking at future evidence and the infection situation,” said Takaji Wakita, head of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and leader of the panel, Kyodo news agency reported.

More than 65.6 million people, or 51.8 percent of the Japanese population, have received three doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, the latest available official data showed.

More than 80 percent of the population have received at least the first two shots.

Over 31 million people aged 65 and above have received three doses, representing 87.2 percent of the demographic group.

Japan on Wednesday reported more than 40,000 new Covid-19 cases and 58 deaths.

The country has accumulated more than 77,000 infections, including nearly 29,400 deaths since the pandemic began.

The government in Tokyo Metropolitan Tuesday said it reported 5,048 new Covid-19 cases in the capital, down 535 from a week before.

Three people also lost their lives to the virus on Tuesday. EFE

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