TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio has called for people to receive a dose of Moderna Inc.’s vaccine for their third inoculations against COVID-19.

In a video message posted on the Twitter account of the prime minister’s office on Wednesday, Kishida said, “There are many places where people can get a shot of Moderna’s vaccine without waiting for a long time.”

“Please prioritize the speed over the vaccine brand,” he continued.

Some people point out that the pace of the country’s booster rollout is slow as many people are concerned about the safety of mix-and-match COVID-19 vaccinations and prefer Pfizer Inc.’s vaccine for their third shots.

“A British study has confirmed the safety and effectiveness of mix-and-match vaccinations,” Kishida stressed.

The prime minister also said that he has received doses of the Pfizer vaccine for his first and second inoculations and will get a shot of the Moderna vaccine for the booster.

JIJI Press