Japan to roll out Moderna vaccine for BA.5, adding to Pfizer's vaccine

Japan's health ministry plans to deliver a Moderna vaccine targeting the BA.5 Omicron subvariant of the coronavirus, following the delivery of a similar vaccine made by Pfizer.

The ministry has approved Moderna's BA.5 vaccine. It says the vaccine is expected to be effective against the Omicron subvariant.

The ministry plans to send about 3 million doses to municipalities across the country from the week starting November 28 to late December.

In Japan, vaccines against the Omicron BA.1 subvariant were rolled out in September. They are made by Pfizer and Moderna. Pfizer's vaccine targeting the BA.5 has been available since October.

The health ministry says some 102 million vaccine doses targeting the Omicron variant are expected to be delivered to municipalities by the end of the year.

The latest government data shows that about 8.58 million people, or 6.8 percent of the population, have received such vaccines.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20221107_34/