“It’s been 30 minutes since I got the vaccine, but there is no pain.”
Kazuhiro Araki (left), the head of the Tokyo Medical Center, Japan’s National Hospital Organization, is getting a Pfizer vaccine at an inoculation site in the Tokyo Medical Center in Meguro-ku, Tokyo on the 17th. From that day on, vaccine vaccinations began targeting 40,000 medical workers in Japan, and Director Araki recorded the first domestic vaccination. Tokyo = AP Yonhap News
Kazuhiro Araki, who became the No. 1 vaccination of the new coronavirus infectious disease (Corona 19) in Japan, said at a press conference on the 17th, “This preliminary vaccination not only prevents infection of (hospital) staff and patients, but also We hope that the results of the research will be effectively utilized as data that can be safely applied to the vaccine.” Other employees who received the vaccine on this day also responded, such as “I can work with confidence” and “I was not sick”.
At the Tokyo Medical Center of the National Hospital Organization in Meguro-ku, Tokyo, where the first vaccination was conducted in Japan at 9 am, 12 doctors, nurses, hospital staff, including Director Araki, received the vaccine. The vaccination, which was released with a lot of interest, was conducted in a calm atmosphere. Director Araki was also vaccinated on his left arm after rolling up his shirt sleeve in an expressionless appearance.
Those subject to prior vaccination wrote down their health status on the preliminary form received at the entrance of the vaccination center and submitted it to the doctor in charge of vaccination. Based on this, the vaccination was conducted after an interview by a doctor. The time from the interview to the vaccination was about 1 minute per person. After the vaccination, I stayed in the waiting area for about 15 minutes and took a break to prepare for side effects. On this day, a special syringe that can inoculate 6 times per bottle was used.
Kazuhiro Araki, head of the Tokyo Medical Center, Japan’s National Hospital Organization, takes a break in a waiting area after vaccinating Pfizer on the morning of the 17th. Tokyo = Reuters Yonhap News
At the Tokyo Medical Center, 1,170 Pfizer vaccines were brought in the previous night, and 800 medical workers will be vaccinated from that day to the next month. Two vaccinations are required every 3 weeks. The first vaccination is completed from this day to the 10th of the next month, and the second vaccination is administered from the 11th to the 31st of the next month. The Japanese government recruited applicants for advance vaccination from 100 medical institutions nationwide, including national hospitals. Initially, 10,000 to 20,000 people were expected, but the number of applicants greatly exceeded and increased to 40,000.
The Japanese government surveys 20,000 of them on a daily basis and accumulates data. For 4 weeks after the second vaccination, cases of side effects such as fever are collected and published to help the public understand. Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Tamuro Noricha said at the House Budget Committee on that day, “It is important to disclose information on adverse reactions to the vaccine to the public.” Although expectations for the vaccine’s effectiveness are high, it takes into account concerns about side effects of vaccines developed in a short time.
From the middle of next month, the vaccination will start for 3.7 million medical workers, and 36 million elderly people 65 years or older from April. Since then, the target will be gradually expanded to 8.2 million people with underlying diseases and 2 million people working in facilities for the elderly. Depending on the vaccine supply situation, a plan to advance the vaccination period is also being considered.
The Japanese government expects vaccination to contribute to curbing the spread of Corona 19 infection. In this regard, a contract was signed with Pfizer to receive 144 million doses (72 million people) within the year on the premise of 6 doses per bottle. Following the first volume (for 400,000 times) on the 12th, the second volume is expected to arrive in Japan next week.
However, the key question is whether the necessary amount can be secured by April, when vaccination for the elderly begins amid competition for securing vaccines around the world, such as strengthening regional vaccine export management in the EU, where Pfizer’s vaccine production plant is located.
In addition to Pfizer’s vaccine, it has signed a contract to supply 120 million doses (for 60 million people) with the British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and 40 million doses (for 20 million people) with the US pharmaceutical company Modena. Although the current supply schedule is uncertain, it has secured the amount that can be inoculated to the entire population (about 127 million people).
Tokyo= Kim Hoe-kyung Correspondent [email protected]
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