Govt. Mulling Syringes For Most Vaccine Shots
The minister in charge of Japan's COVID-19 inoculation program says the government will consider obtaining syringes that can draw seven doses from a single vial of a coronavirus vaccine.
Regulatory Reform Minister Kono Taro, who also oversees vaccination efforts, referred to a report from a hospital in Uji City, Kyoto Prefecture. The report said seven doses could be obtained from a single vial of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine if insulin syringes are used.
Japan's health officials are currently working to secure special syringes capable of obtaining six doses per vial. A conventional syringe can extract five doses.
Kono welcomed the efforts to increase doses. But he said syringes for insulin shots have short needles so he would like a guarantee that the inoculations can be carried out properly.
He added that the syringes should be prioritized for people who need insulin shots, but that the government may procure any excesses.
Health Minister Tamura Norihisa said Pfizer has not denied the possibility that insulin syringes could draw seven doses from each vial. He also said the syringe needles are short as they are used for subcutaneous injections, and they can therefore only be used on people who have little fat, as the vaccine must reach the muscles.
He said he wants medical institutions to go ahead with the use of the syringes on condition that they can confirm that a sufficient amount of the vaccine reaches the muscles.