Monday’s news that Japan detected its first case of the highly transmissible XE variant of the coronavirus adds another concern for the government, which is struggling to raise vaccination rates among young people as infection levels remain high nationwide and are surging in mostly rural prefectures.
The health ministry announced Monday evening that the XE variant was detected in a woman in her 30s who arrived at Narita Airport from the United States on March 26. The woman, whose nationality has not been released, was asymptomatic, treated at a facility for infected individuals and released after her quarantine period ended, according to the ministry.
XE is among a new set of highly transmissible variants known as “recombinant variants.” A recombinant variant occurs when an individual becomes infected with two or more variants at the same time, leading to a mixing of their genetic material within the patient’s body.
According to the World Health Organization, early estimates suggest that XE — a recombinant of BA.1 and BA.2 of the omicron variant — is about 1.1 times more transmissible than BA.2. Around 1,100 cases of the XE variant had been confirmed in Britain as of April 5, although they accounted for less than 1% of infections in the country. So far, little is known about the severity of XE.
The institute said two other samples taken from quarantined airport arrivals appeared to be mixtures of the omicron variant's genetic material but that their type could not be specified.
“We will collect insight on the infectiousness and severity (of the XE variant),” health minister Shigeyuki Goto was quoted by Kyodo News as saying Tuesday, adding that the government will weigh border control measures based on its findings about the variant.
Meanwhile, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said that no matter what variants are detected in Japan, the basic prevention measures will remain the same: wearing masks, washing hands, avoiding crowded places and ventilating their rooms.
Having endured six waves of COVID-19 infections and seemingly on the verge of a seventh, Japan is trying to find ways to balance infection control and a resumption of normal social and business activities. But the dissemination of booster shots — a key weapon to prevent the spread of the disease — has come slowly, especially among people in their 20s and 30s.
According to government data released Monday, the booster vaccination rate for the country as a whole has reached 45.4%, compared to a nearly 80% figure for those who have received two shots. And there are stark differences in rates among generations, with only 5.4% of teens and 24% of those in their 20s getting their third jabs.
Among those age 65 and older, 84.7% have received a third dose, followed by 51.3% of those in their 50s, 33.8% of those in their 40s and 25.9% of those in their 30s.
Fear of side effects — temporary but common after vaccination — seems to be playing a role in young people’s wariness to get vaccinated. The fact that many young people infected with COVID-19 experience few symptoms, if any, is also believed to be contributing to their hesitancy. Common side effects from COVID-19 vaccines include fever and fatigue.
The government is reportedly considering subsidizing universities, junior colleges and vocational schools that decide to open mass vaccination centers. It is also considering offering discounts for sports and music events to people who have received their third jabs.
“It is important to promote the third dose because the coronavirus can cause severe symptoms and long-term aftereffects, not only among the elderly but also among the young,” Matsuno said Monday.
Matsuno added that prefectures can relax their own restrictions for restaurants and bars if there is proof that the customers have received their booster shots.
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