Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna targeting the omicron variant have been approved by Japan's health ministry, paving the way for them to be rolled out in the nation.
The health ministry on Monday night approved deploying the boosters after an endorsement from an experts panel that advises it. The ministry relies on the expert panel’s recommendations for approving most therapies. Pfizer’s omicron booster can be administered to people age 12 and over, while Moderna’s is limited to those 18 and above.
Japan is planning to expedite a rollout of the boosters originally planned for October so as to better prepare for winter, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said. The booster will be available free of charge for those eligible if they have already received at least two COVID-19 shots previously, and if at least five months have passed since their previous shot.