Tokyo, May 21, (dpa/GNA) – Japan on Friday approved Covid-19 vaccines from Moderna and AstraZeneca for use in adults amid mounting criticism over the extremely slow pace of vaccinations in the country.
However, the AstraZeneca vaccine will not be used immediately amid persistent worries over reports from abroad of rare blood clots in some recipients, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare said.
The approval comes just two months before the scheduled July 23 start of the Olympics in Tokyo.
Japan greenlighted the Pfizer jab in February, launching the vaccination effort, however, only 2 per cent of its 125 million population has been fully vaccinated despite the rapid spread of new variants of the coronavirus.
Nine prefectures, including Tokyo, have been under a coronavirus state of emergency. The government is set to add the southern prefecture of Okinawa to the measure later in the day.
The Japanese government has never imposed a lockdown seen in Europe and the United States. It has instead requested bars and restaurants refrain from serving alcohol and offering karaoke service, while residents were told to avoid non-essential and non-urgent outings.
In Tokyo, almost everyone is wearing a mask, while commuter trains are still packed.
According to a tally by broadcaster NHK, Japan has so far confirmed more than 705,000 infections and about 12,000 Covid-19-related deaths, by far the worst in East Asia.
GNA