Photo/Illutration Employees of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo Fire Department gather at a mass vaccination site set up at the former Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo’s Chuo Ward on June 8. (Tsubasa Setoguchi)

The Tokyo metropolitan government on June 8 started mass vaccinations for police officers and firefighters at the former Tsukiji fish market site in the capital’s Chuo Ward.

The metropolitan government plans to open similar mass vaccination sites in five other locations, hoping to inoculate every Tokyo resident who wants to receive a shot by the end of the year.

About 3,000 employees of the Metropolitan Police Department and the Tokyo Fire Department received a shot of COVID-19 vaccine on the first day.

Their body temperatures were checked in a tent set up at the outdoor site and after physicians interviewed them about their health inside a prefabricated facility, they were guided to one of the 15 booths to get a shot administered by nurses.

To secure enough health care workers to administer the vaccine, the metropolitan government enlisted nurses who have been off work due to child-rearing and other reasons, as well as dentists who have been trained to administer an intramuscular injection.

The metropolitan government initially expected to administer the vaccine at the site to 52,000 MPD employees and 5,000 TFD employees, but it has expanded the eligibility to include members of fire companies, veterinarians, acupuncturists and judo therapists.

Officials plan to administer the first of two shots for 5,000 people per day, and 110,000 people in total, at the Tsukiji site by June 30.

Afterward, the site will be used as a base for vehicles that will transport athletes and officials during the Tokyo Olympics.

For the second shot, the metropolitan government will use Yoyogi Park in Shibuya Ward.

Officials hope to administer the vaccine to 5,000 people every day and up to 25,000 people per day at the five sites that will be newly established for mass vaccinations, which include one in the western Tama area, they said.

In addition to the metropolitan government, multiple organizations--city and ward offices, the Self-Defense Forces and large-scale companies--are running a mass vaccination program in Tokyo.

Each program has different eligibility rules for people to receive the vaccine such as occupation and age.

A metropolitan government official said it is crucial “not to cause confusion” among residents and regarding who gets the vaccine first, “the order of priority has to be convincing to many people.”

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