TOKYO (AP) – Japan launches COVID-19 vaccination campaign on Wednesday after the government gave the first late approval to a blow developed by Pfizer Inc. which the US and many other countries began using two months ago.
Some in Japan, where the relatively rare side effects of vaccines tend to be reduced, are in no hurry to get the vaccine. This reluctance could prove to be a big problem for the Tokyo Olympics scheduled for this summer, after a one-year delay. Vaccinations are considered a key to organizing games.
With the development of the domestic vaccine still in its infancy, Japan, which is dependent on imports, is facing uncertainty in its supply. It is also unclear whether Japan’s already tense healthcare system will be able to treat additional visitors during games while juggling local patients and mass inoculations.
The PA is examining why Japan, the world’s third-largest economy, is so late on coronavirus vaccinations.
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WHY DELAY?
This is mainly due to the fact that the government requested clinical trials in Japan, in addition to Pfizer’s multinational trials, which did not include Japan.
Dozens of countries accepted the results of the Pfizer tests launched in November and advanced. Pfizer requested emergency approval in Japan in December, based on overseas data, but Tokyo waited for the results of Japanese tests sent in late January before giving the green light on Sunday.
All this happened in two months, much faster than the average for a year, which is common for Japan, known for being cautious and stuck in bureaucracy.
The approval process for another supplier, AstraZeneca, began only recently, while a third, Moderna Inc. has not yet applied in Japan.
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WHY DID JAPAN REQUEST MORE DATA?
People in Japan are often skeptical about vaccines, and officials believe they need to address safety issues thoroughly.
Health Minister Norihisa Tamura said last week that Asians accounted for “only a small percentage” of Pfizer tests, which were conducted from July to November on about 44,000 people in six countries.
Even so, this means that the data included samples from about 2,000 Asians. Some critics wonder if the additional tests for just 160 Japanese have added anything – except for several delays.
Taro Kono, the minister of administrative reforms for vaccinations, defended the delay. “It was more important for the government to show the Japanese people that everything was done” to encourage the administration of vaccines, he said.
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WHY IS THE ENVIRONMENT SO LOW IN JAPAN?
Japan’s distrust of vaccines is decades old. Many people have a vague concern about vaccines, in part because their side effects have often been reduced.
In the 1990s, the government overturned mandatory vaccinations after a court ruled it was responsible for the side effects associated with several of them.
Japan has recently stopped recommending the human papillomavirus vaccine, or HPV, after media reports have reported side effects, renewing concerns, despite the widespread use of the vaccine abroad as a safe and effective protection against cervical cancer. uterine.
A recent poll conducted by the Mainichi newspaper showed that less than 40% of respondents are eager to get a coronavirus fire immediately, while about 60% said they would wait and see.
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WHAT IS JAPANESE HOLIDAY CALENDAR?
Approximately 40,000 front-line medical workers treating COVID-19 patients are expected to receive the first photos of the Pfizer vaccine at 100 hospitals. Half of them will take part in a side effects survey and follow-up health checks to try to alleviate public safety concerns.
About 3.7 million other health workers will follow. The elderly are expected to take turns in April, ahead of those with underlying health problems.
It will be about June until those over the age of 16 are eligible.
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DOES JAPAN HAVE SUFFICIENT VACCINE?
Despite its late start, Japan quickly managed to reach agreements with Pfizer and two other companies, AstraZeneca and Moderna, in July, when vaccines were still under development.
Japan has provided 344 million doses, enough to cover its entire population, by the end of this year. This includes 144 million doses from Pfizer, 120 million from AstraZeneca and 50 million from Moderna.
Japan has pledged to provide doses for its entire population by June, but the outlook is uncertain amid a shortage in Europe, where much of the supply of Pfizer and AstraZeneca is produced.
Taro Kono, the minister responsible for vaccinations, on Tuesday described the prospects of receiving vaccines on time as “difficult”. Although he expressed optimism, he said that the supply in Europe will determine the progress of the campaign in Japan.
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IS JAPAN DEVELOPING ITS VACCINES?
Several Japanese companies and research organizations are developing coronavirus vaccines, but they are in their infancy.
Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. will distribute the Moderna vaccine and produce the Novavax vaccine at home, and JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. will produce the AstraZeneca vaccine under a licensing agreement.
Only AstraZeneca is currently in the approval process.
Experts say the development of the vaccine in Japan has become an unpopular research area because of the risks, the time-consuming process and the lack of government funding.
Shigeru Omi, head of the government’s coronavirus task force, cited the lack of global competitiveness of Japanese pharmaceutical companies as a reason for the delayed launch.