Govt. To Speed Up Preparing For Vaccination
The Japanese government plans to speed up preparations for coronavirus vaccinations in the country.
Vaccines developed by different pharmaceutical companies require different storage temperatures. The government is planning to secure special freezers for each vaccine, as well as dry ice to preserve them. As equipment and materials necessary for storage are expected to be in short supply in the summer, the government will call on manufacturers to boost production.
The government officials will step up coordination with related firms to enable transportation of vaccines at low temperatures. They also plan to develop a system for information-sharing with manufacturers and wholesalers so that local governments and medical institutions can secure sufficient doses of vaccines.
It is expected to take time to secure enough vaccines to inoculate all citizens. The government is considering giving priority to healthcare workers, the elderly and people with underlying health issues to get vaccinated.
The health ministry plans to speed up the process of examining whether to approve vaccines, based on data, including those from clinical trials in Japan.
A senior official says the ministry hopes to shorten the process as much as possible and reach a conclusion as early as February next year, so that vaccinations can get underway by the end of March.
