Japan Likely To Get 10 Mil. Doses Per Week In May
The Japanese minister who is overseeing the government's COVID-19 vaccination program has indicated that the country expects to receive about 10 million vaccine doses every week in May.
Regulatory Reform Minister Kono Taro told a news conference on Friday that, as a result of negotiations with US pharmaceutical company Pfizer, about 10 million doses will likely arrive in Japan each week in May. He also said shipments are expected to increase in June.
Kono noted that approval by the European Union is necessary to finalize the deal.
He also said the government will likely be able to start providing syringes in mid-April that enable six doses to be extracted from one vial, for the inoculation of medical workers.
Conventional syringes can only extract five doses per vial.
Regarding vaccinations for senior citizens, Kono said the government plans to switch to the new syringes after the government secures enough of them.