By MIREI JINGUJI/ Staff Writer
March 8, 2023 at 16:36 JST
A man receives a COVID-19 vaccine targeting the Omicron variant in September 2022 in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The next round of vaccinations for COVID-19 will be offered starting on May 8 to older people and those at higher risk for developing severe symptoms.
A second booster program in fiscal 2023 will start in September, the health ministry said on March 7.
While everyone 12 and older will be eligible for the September vaccination, the spring program will be offered only to people 65 and older, those with pre-existing health conditions and front-line health and care workers.
The vaccines will be free until March 2024.
Vaccines targeting both the original and Omicron variants of the virus, which were rolled out in autumn 2022, are available until May 7.
From May 8 until at least September, the dual vaccines will be unavailable except to those subject to two shots, including elderly people.
The health ministry is encouraging those who want to get the dual vaccines to do so while they are still available.
Vaccinations using the bivalent boosters for 5- to 11-year-old children started on March 8.
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