Before the end of the year, Japan could start giving COVID-19 vaccine booster shots to people who are at least eight months removed from their second doses.
The health ministry on Friday discussed plans with experts on its vaccine subcommittee to provide booster shots as soon as the country has administered two doses to all willing recipients by the end of November.
With growing concerns over the ebbing impact of vaccine protection and what that might mean for any future waves of the virus, boosters could provide a solution, although whether or not they are needed remains the subject of debate among scientists. The World Health Organization has called for a “moratorium” on boosters until nations with low vaccination rates can inoculate more of their population.