TOKYO: A health ministry panel Wednesday approved the use of US biotechnology startup Moderna Inc.’s novel coronavirus vaccine for third shots in Japan.

   The third shots will be available for people aged 18 or over. The amount of vaccine will be half the dose of the first and second shots.

   The ministry is set to approve the vaccine for use in booster shots under fast-track procedures as early as Thursday, following Wednesday’s decision by a subgroup of its Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Sanitation Council.

   For booster shots, Japan allows a cross-vaccination with a different vaccine from the one used for the first two doses.

   The government plans to move up the administration of third shots as much as possible regardless of the required interval of eight months from second shots in principle, by using the Moderna vaccine together with U.S. drug giant Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine, whose use as boosters has already been approved in Japan.

   At a meeting of a different subgroup Thursday, the ministry plans to start procedures to cover the costs of third shots with public funding.

   Third Moderna vaccine shots should be administered at least six months after the second dose, according to the ministry.

   In overseas clinical trials, the amount of neutralizing antibodies, which prevent viral infection, after the third dose increased 1.7 times from after the second dose.

   Since the amount of vaccine will be half that of the first two shots, the number of inoculations can be increased to 15-20 times per bottle from 10 times.

   The government has concluded a contract to receive 50 million doses of Moderna vaccine. As the amount of vaccine will be reduced for boosters, the supplies are considered to be enough to provide at least 75 million shots.

   Health minister Shigeyuki Goto has said that Japan has some 97 million doses available for third shots, including its inventory.

   On Dec. 1, Japan started administering third COVID-19 shots of the Pfizer vaccine, initially to medical workers. So far, some 93,000 people have received booster shots in the country.

   The Moderna vaccine will be used for inoculations for elderly people next year and workplace vaccinations starting next March.

JIJI Press