TOKYO: People in Japan will receive novel coronavirus vaccines basically in their places of residence registered on their resident cards, the health ministry said Thursday.

The policy, which also requires reservations in principle to get the COVID-19 vaccines, was approved at a subcommittee meeting of the ministry’s Health Sciences Council.

According to the ministry, municipalities will send coupons to resident card addresses to let residents receive the vaccines at medical institutions, health centers or event venues.

Long-term inpatients, expectant mothers back in their hometowns, workers living away from their families and others with a compelling reason will be allowed to get jabs at places other than those registered on their cards.

Applicants are expected to receive the vaccines individually. But the ministry is also seeing the possibility of group vaccinations so that many people will be vaccinated quickly.

The government plans to secure 3,000 freezers that can keep a temperature of minus 75 degrees Celsius and 7,500 freezers to keep a temperature of minus 20 degrees, as some vaccines need to be stored at extremely low temperatures. They will be sent to vaccination venues by the end of March 2021.

Each municipality will have at least one such freezer. The allocations will be determined according to the sizes of the populations.

The ministry will also procure dry ice and cool boxes to deliver and store vaccines.

The government has agreed with three U.S. and British companies, including Pfizer Inc., to receive novel coronavirus vaccines for a total of 145 million people.

If vaccines by more than one company become available, each venue will provide only one type in principle to avoid confusion.

JIJI Press