Society

PM Kishida to shorten intervals for booster shots

Dec 18 (NHK) - Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has announced plans to shorten the interval between the second and third coronavirus vaccinations for medical professionals and certain elderly people to six months from the current eight.

Kishida said on Friday that the Moderna vaccine approved on Thursday for third doses will be used for the boosters. He said the interval will be shortened for about 31 million people after obtaining the opinion of experts.

The government will be shortening the interval for healthcare personnel and seniors in care homes, who are at high risk of serious illness, to six months. In addition, it plans to shorten the interval for other seniors to seven months starting next February.

Kishida also said the government will begin the supply of oral drugs, which have been described as effective against the Omicron variant, by the end of the year.

He said the government has already secured 1.6 million doses of the oral drug, Molnupiravir, developed by Merck. Kishida also said he and Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla agreed in principle during a phone conference earlier in the day to secure 2 million doses of the company's oral drug. He said the government will continue to negotiate to finalize the deal, including on the timing of delivery.

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