Novavax Coronavirus Vaccine Shots Start In Japan
A hospital in Tokyo has begun administering a COVID-19 vaccine developed by US pharmaceutical company Novavax. The coronavirus vaccine is the fourth to be used in Japan.
Inoculations began at Juntendo University Hospital in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward on Friday on healthcare workers, as part of research on possible side effects and effectiveness.
Unlike messenger RNA-based vaccines by Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna, the Novavax vaccine is protein-based. It is expected to be administered to those who have showed allergic reactions to mRNA vaccines.
Those who received AstraZeneca vaccine doses are also considered as potential recipients. Five recipients on Friday had received the AstraZeneca vaccine.
The hospital plans to give the vaccine to 500 people and ask them to monitor their temperatures and injection site conditions for four weeks, to use the data for analysis.
The head of the hospital, Takahashi Kazuhisa, said they hope to produce a reliable analysis to alleviate concern about vaccination.
A total of 5 million doses of the Novavax vaccine are scheduled to be delivered to local communities by the end of July.