Tokyo begins booster jab drive for older residents

Health authorities in Tokyo started administering COVID-19 booster shots to its elderly residents on Saturday after trials earlier this month. While about 80% of Japanese have received their first two vaccine doses, the rollout of booster shots nationwide has been slow and has reached only 1.3% of the population.

The government recently decided to cut the interval between the second and third shots to six months from eight for elderly people, but younger people are unlikely to get their turn until March or later. Since yesterday restaurants and bars are closing early in Tokyo and a dozen other areas across Japan as the country has widened COVID-19 restrictions due to the omicron variant fast spread across the country.

Japan has resisted the use of lockdowns to limit the spread of the virus and has focused on requiring eateries to close early and not serve alcohol. The public have been urged to wear masks and practice social distancing, as the government seeks to minimize damage to the economy.