By YUKI EDAMATSU/ Staff Writer
May 25, 2022 at 17:29 JST
A man receives his fourth COVID-19 vaccination in Tokyo’s Minato Ward on May 25. (Jin Nishioka)
The central government’s rollout of the fourth COVID-19 vaccinations for people at high risk of developing severe symptoms and others began on May 25.
Four people, including health care workers, came to a mass vaccination site in Tokyo’s Minato Ward that morning to receive their fourth jabs.
They received their third vaccinations in December.
Masanori Terada, 78, a doctor, said, “I received the shot as an extra precaution because I have a pre-existing condition.”
Terada added, “I live with my grandchild, so I feel safe now.”
The central government is focusing on preventing COVID-19 patients from developing severe symptoms by providing the fourth vaccination.
Those who are 60 and older and received their third shot five months ago or prior to that are eligible for the fourth shot.
People who are aged between 18 and 59 and have a "basic" disease, or people who are told by a doctor that they are at high risk of developing severe symptoms, are also eligible.
Minato Ward officials estimate that about 50,000 people are eligible for the fourth shot and the figure will peak in July.
On the first day, about 1,000 people were eligible to receive the fourth shot because five months had passed since they received the third shot in the ward.
But only 11 people made an appointment at the mass vaccination site.
“There are probably many health care workers who will receive the fourth shot at their own clinic," a ward official said. "It is difficult to estimate how many people will come to the site from now on.”
The government has defined 14 types of diseases and conditions as a basic disease for people to be eligible for the fourth shot, such as diseases of the respiratory tract, a heart ailment or a kidney disease.
Those who are obese with a body mass index of 30 or more are also eligible.
It is difficult for local governments to know if a resident has a basic disease.
So sending a voucher for the fourth shot to eligible people who are younger than 60 depends on each municipality.
In some cases, local governments will mail a voucher to only those who have informed officials about their condition.
In other cases, local governments will mail it to all residents who are older than 18 and have received the third shot five months ago or prior.
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