Feb 22 (NHK) - Japan has received its second shipment of the coronavirus vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical company Pfizer.
The doses arrived at Narita Airport near Tokyo on Sunday from Belgium.
The vaccine doses, in special cartons packed with dry ice, were transported to a warehouse. They were then carried to a storage site outside the airport by truck.
The shipment follows the first delivery on February 12. Government officials say the latest arrival is equivalent to more than 450,000 shots, if the maximum six doses are extracted from each vial.
Combined with the first shipment, Japan has received about 838,000 doses, or shots for nearly 420,000 people.
The government plans to distribute up to 1.17 million doses to prefectures for medical workers over the two weeks starting March 1.
It plans to airlift additional doses once the European Union grants authorization.
The number of healthcare workers who are expected to receive vaccinations is likely to increase by about a million from the initial estimate of roughly 3.7 million.
The timing of vaccinations, including those for the elderly, could be affected if the supply of vaccines to Japan does not go smoothly.
Source: ANNnewsCH
