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Japan approves vaccine targeting BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron variants and original SARS-CoV-2

By on September 13, 2022

The Japanese health ministry gave its approval Monday for the use of  improved COVID-19 vaccines that are expected to provide broader protection against the circulating different variants of SARS-CoV-2.

The government is expected to begin administering the improved vaccines, developed by Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc., as early as next week.

The improved vaccines will first be used as a replacement for conventional versions in fourth shots for elderly people and others, expected to total about 15 million.

From mid-October, coverage will expand to include people aged 12 and older who have completed their second shots.

Overseas clinical tests have shown that a fourth shot using the improved Pfizer vaccine had 1.56 times more antibodies neutralized than a conventional vaccine and 1.75 times more with Moderna’s improved vaccine.

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