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Japan begins COVID-19 vaccination for children aged 5-11

Feb 27 (Japan Today) - Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus for children aged 5 to 11 began Saturday in one area of Tokyo ahead of other municipalities in Japan with special government approval at a time when the country is still gripped by high infection numbers.

While vaccinations for the age group are expected to begin in wider parts of the country in March, some municipalities have been allowed to start earlier if they are already prepared.

Vaccinations against the novel coronavirus for children aged 5 to 11 began Saturday in one area of Tokyo ahead of other municipalities in Japan with special government approval at a time when the country is still gripped by high infection numbers.

According to the health ministry, the vaccine for children aged 5 to 11 will contain one-third of the volume for those aged 12 or older. Children in the younger age bracket will receive two jabs of Pfizer Inc's vaccine at an interval of three weeks.

In addition to parental consent, they are also required to be accompanied by their guardians when receiving those shots, it said.

Japan has expanded the scope of COVID-19 inoculation to younger people and tried to accelerate the pace of administrating third shots to people above the age of 11, amid another wave of infections driven by the rapid spread of the Omicron variant that started this year.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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