A medical worker administers a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a mass vaccination site in Tokyo. Photo: Pool via AP/File
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Japan to administer COVID-19 booster shots from Dec 1

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i will be happy to leave mine for others in line who are in need...

0 ( +8 / -8 )

Covid19 infection cases are rising among the vaccinated because the efficacy of the vaccine had waned. A third shot is needed. When it wanes, a fourth, a fifth, a sixth…… hahahahaha

Cases are increasing because of the appearance of a new variant for which the immunity for previous infections is not 100% effective and this includes also people with previous infections that are now getting reinfected (and getting sometimes an even worse disease the second time).

For most of the population that have no special immune problems the original schedule of vaccination is adequeate enough to reduce the risk of complications, hospitalizations and deaths without a demonstrated need for a booster. Even if boosters become necessary for most people the only reason why this would be the case is because the disease keep being more risky than vaccinating, so by using this argument you are recognizing the need for the vaccine.

0 ( +10 / -10 )

It is perfectly true, the CDC data is enough to confirm exactly what I wrote and that is that immunity from natural infection can be worse than what is obtained from vaccination, having one example well described is enough to prove this, because one ocurrence is enough to prove it can happen, as I said.

Immunity from infection or immunity from a vaccine is the same; one case is not sufficient evidence-no scientist would accept a hypothesis on just one case-nonsense talk!

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Japan can be proad of its vaccination rate but the truth is the higher rate has a lot more to do with the aging population. Countries with higher numbers of children will of course have lower average rates of vaccination. Percentage of the eligible population is far more meaningful.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@Bob Fosse: You are finding these stranger and stranger reasons for not having the vaccine as bizarre as I do, aren't you?

2 ( +8 / -6 )

The vaccines will eventually take out a large swathe of the population. Hence, their incessant pushing.

And where do you get this information? Seems kind of important. The vaccines will kill a large swathe of the population eh?

Seems like something people should know about. Let me guess, Google are covering it up? I have 4 doctors in the family. Are they all in on it too?

3 ( +10 / -7 )

If you are older or have multiple co-morbidities, you should get the booster.

If you are young or healthy, you are fine without it.

If you get sick, vaxxed or not, there are plenty of therapeutics.

It's good to have options.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

RobRoyToday  11:35 am JST

The message is clear: If you did not vaccinate and you survived a Covid infection you may be immune to further infection.

If you did not vaccinate and didn't survive a Covid infection you're dead.

Got it."

What about those who DID vaccinate and died are they dead too?

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Is it a commercial decision to enrich Pfizer or is it really justified by science?

After how many boosters we admit that it is not effective on the long run?

What about long term side effects of such repeated mRNA injection?

Virusrex before you jump in, you can not bring the card of "perfectly safe" as the Test is still running till 2023

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Ah, links, those get me deleted and suspended repeatedly if they happen to go against the narrative. I’ve had them censored in seconds. So don’t blame me.

The truth is out there, do your own research, but I can’t tell you. My voice is censored. How convenient.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Makes no sense and it is factually not true. You are again just persuaded on what you are saying without the beginning of a scientific based argumentation with real data.

It is perfectly true, the CDC data is enough to confirm exactly what I wrote and that is that immunity from natural infection can be worse than what is obtained from vaccination, having one example well described is enough to prove this, because one ocurrence is enough to prove it can happen, as I said.

However a recent study from a team in Israel has published a study (pending peer-reviewing) which completely contradicts the CDC results.

No, it is not a contradiction, but different data from different population treated in different way, and preprints are not subjected to the minimum standards of quality from actual scientific publications. Specially when bias on the selection has been already identified in the study (since asymptomatic reinfections are not being counted, and is has been raised the problem that people that have been infected tend to ignore mild symptoms because they erroneusly believe they are completely immune to reinfection).

Most importantly, the data even if it was properly analyzed does nothing to disprove what the CDC reporterd, which is enough to prove this can happen.

The rest of your "arguments" have even less value, maybe if you stopped trying to attack the people instead of the arguments you would finally focus on discussing properly, or maybe is that you are still apparently being forced to read things that you say are physically painful to you, you should tell the person that is forcing you to stop.

-1 ( +11 / -12 )

Soon it will be booster shot 4 followed by 5, 6 and so on! I’ve received my two shots and believe in vaccination but this is just getting out of hand. If things continue on this trend then we all will need to keep getting these shots every 6-8 months throughout our life

4,5,6? This trend that you just imagined is getting out of hand. Slow down there.

Since it’s free of charge at the moment people are getting vaccinated but if after the booster shot 3 it becomes not free then people won’t be bothered to get these shots! Apparently, each dose cost the Japanese Government more than 200,000yen and surely most people won’t be able to afford this in the long run.

Apparently? 200,000 yen? I’m sure you’ll have more than hearsay to back that up, right?

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Since people have been vaccinated with two shots isn't the NOVEL part of covid no longer relevant? As such no need for a 3rd shot!

You think the naming of a disease determines whether or not people need to be vaccinated against it?

But no need to worry; novel coronavirus was the provisional name used when the virus first appeared; its official name is SARS-CoV-2.

Does that make it easier for you to get the booster?

more money in the pharmaceutical companies coffers for nor true health benefit

Maybe it's just me, but I think not getting ill with a severe respiratory disease, not needing to be put on a ventilator in an ICU, not dying - are all pretty persuasive health benefits.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Just keep moving the the goalposts. The 2 jabbers blaming 1 jabbers, the jabbed blaming the un-jabbed, and it just continues… Recent data out of Sweden where no major lockdowns and no mask mandates have their numbers going down while fully lock-downed countries with masked up people and passports needed to function in society having numbers of cases increasing dramatically. So when people say they are following the science, are truly following the agenda. Watch all the news casts and all being heavily sponsored by Pfizer. Several former members of FDA now serving on boards of Pfizer and Moderna. A report just came out from FDA or CDC (Dont remember which one) that they are not collecting data on natural immunity and now pushing on children to get the jab. Everyday more reports are being leaked about hiding critical info from initial trials. The “science” or info is still evolving and people shouldn’t be mandated or pushed to get this jab until they feel comfortable. Imagine at the beginning of the AIDS breakout , and all were mandated to get an experimental AIDS shot. Even some doctors and nurses are wanting to wait and now they are fired and treated like dirt when only a year ago they were heroes. Somethings not right in this world

0 ( +10 / -10 )

@blue

You just confirmed what I said.

Most of them were over 80, and a booster shot is important.

That is exactly what I said.

But you ignore the point that from 372 people, 108 died even they had 2 shots.

You took their age as an excuse.

But is It not the main purpose of the vaccine to protect the old population?

And here from your translation:

An analysis of the cause of death in case of prior existing sicknesses is according to the LGL not possible

So nobody can clearly say, if prior existing sickness had influence on their death.

Please do not only read what you want to read.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

I’ve had both Pfizer shots early on since I’m an old geezer and had the booster.

I’m glad I did. I felt very slightly under the weather for one day after the booster, but that’s it. Anecdotal evidence, for sure, but there it is.

I’m disappointed at the apparent coordinated downvoting of a professional in the field, virusrex. I think the up/down voting feature should be disabled. It only serves to create false controversy and spin up emotions.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

Since people have been vaccinated with two shots isn't the NOVEL part of covid no longer relevant? As such no need for a 3rd shot! If people are immuno compromised, over 70 and or severely ill then I get it. Otherwise just more money in the pharmaceutical companies coffers for nor true health benefit

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

At first they said one shot is enough…then they said second shot is necessary! Now they are saying booster shot 3 is ideal. Soon it will be booster shot 4 followed by 5, 6 and so on! I’ve received my two shots and believe in vaccination but this is just getting out of hand. If things continue on this trend then we all will need to keep getting these shots every 6-8 months throughout our life. The second shot knocked me down for almost a week and I feel that the third would do absolute worse. There is no data or constructive research showing that 3 shots will be the end of it! Since it’s free of charge at the moment people are getting vaccinated but if after the booster shot 3 it becomes not free then people won’t be bothered to get these shots! Apparently, each dose cost the Japanese Government more than 200,000yen and surely most people won’t be able to afford this in the long run.

4 ( +12 / -8 )

@BB: And, I say that as an unvaccinated individual then for your own safety, you should only be allowed to stay at home, travel to your place of work and return.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

Ain't had the first covid shot yet.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

No @Burning Bush - No, why would I feel nervous? I'd happily sit next to you now.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Completely false, one because natural infection comes with all the risks you avoid with vaccination, which by definition would make it worse, and because it can be less effective and last for shorter time, which would make reinfections a greater risk than infections after vaccination. Just expressing irrational wishes as if they were facts do not make them so.

Makes no sense and it is factually not true. You are again just persuaded on what you are saying without the beginning of a scientific based argumentation with real data. There isn't a consensus on what is better in term of protection. Infection-induced immunity or vaccine-induced immunity. A recent report from CDC

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/science-briefs/vaccine-induced-immunity.html#anchor_1635539757101

concluded that both infection-induced and vaccine-induced immunity are durable for at least six months — but that vaccines are more consistent in their protection and offer a boost in antibodies for people previously infected. However the pool of data was small. An analysis of the data showed that 7,348 people, or a little over 3 percent of the participants, met the study criteria. Among the 6,328 people who were fully vaccinated, 324 (or 5.1 percent) had a positive COVID-19 PCR test. Among the 1,020 who were unvaccinated and who had previously had the infection, 89 (or 8.7 percent) had a positive COVID-19 PCR test.

However a recent study from a team in Israel has published a study (pending peer-reviewing) which completely contradicts the CDC results.

https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.24.21262415v1

What makes this study important is that it comes not only from a country that has been upfront in publishing a lot of data in this topic but it is also one of the most vaccinated country in the world. As a result, their study is based on a way bigger data set. The study used 10 times more people than the CDC one, they primarily used the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. In the U.S., three are approved, including the Pfizer, the Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines. The Israeli study period was March 1, 2020 to August 14, 2021. They used a database of Maccabi Healthcare Services (MHS), Israel’s second largest Health Maintenance Organization. Overall, 673,676 MHS members 16 years and older were eligible for the study group of fully vaccinated SARS-CoV-2-naïve individuals; 62,883 were eligible for the study group of unvaccinated previously infected individuals and 42,099 individuals were eligible for the study group of previously infected and single-dose vaccines.

The study concluded that natural immunity is 13 times more effective than vaccines in protecting individuals, in other words, SARS-CoV-2-naïve vaccines had a 13-fold increased risk for breakthrough infection with the Indian variant compared to those previously infected. Although there was waning natural immunity identified as well, vaccinated individuals had a 5.96-fold increased risk for breakthrough infection and a 7.13-fold increased risk for symptomatic disease. This study demonstrated that natural immunity confers longer lasting and stronger protection against infection, symptomatic disease and hospitalization caused by the Indian variant of SARS-CoV-2, compared to the BNT162b2 two-dose vaccine-induced immunity. Individuals who were both previously infected with SARS-CoV-2 and given a single dose of the vaccine gained additional protection against the Indian variant.

In fact 15 studies have showed the effectiveness of infection-induced immunity.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/09/15/natural-immunity-vaccine-mandate/

Here are some of them

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abh1766

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-021-22034-1

https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/224/1/31/6179975

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-021-03647-4

You may not like it being locked up in your distorted reality, but that's the way it is. Just stop your vaccine extremism and start to look at the data the way they should be looked at. In a rational and scientific perpective instead of a partisan and ideologic way. That does not mean that vaccine are not an important tool. They absolutely are. They are what they are essentially designed for. They help to prevent the population and more precisely the most vulnerable ones to develop severe forms of the infection. They are not magical tools. In fact we know now (which I told you many months ago and I was right) that they are not very good at preventing infection and the spread of the virus in the long term. But this is ok, the virus is basically now endemic (as I also told you it would become which you wrongly refuted) so I do no think that we need to worry about that. That's fine, we still don't to need to run after useless booster shots for the whole population. This is ridiculous.

-3 ( +9 / -12 )

We've always said that if the science shows a 3rd or 4th booster to be necessary, then we will follow the science

We've always been at war with Eurasia.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

I am ready to get the third one, once I received my voucher. It will give me a sense of relief that people surround me are safe from getting infected. Thank you.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

While the acquired immunity is the strongest and most durable (except in one small CDC study which was likely heavily manipulated to support government policy. It is in massive conflict with all other data), it is way safer to acquire it after vaccine these days.

In most countries people will in fact likely follow such a pattern. But in Japan, nCov seems to spread really poorly, for whatever reasons.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

2 didn't work so why would 3??

That’s clearly incorrect. What a bizarre belief.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

2 didn't work so why would 3??

-6 ( +8 / -14 )

Local governments will begin mailing out vouchers for the booster shots later this month.

Sad that this needs to be micromanaged at the local government level.

Such a nanny state, Japan.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

I'm in the 0 shot group, admittedly on the margins of society. However we have since been joined by the 1 shot group, as they have been ejected from the privileged class.

The 1 shot group were never vaccinated unless they took J&J. But you know this already. No need to make up a drama about it.

1 ( +9 / -8 )

Many people here said that they can read german.

So here is a link from today's german MSN news:

It says 372 people died from Corona in Bayern Germany, 108 were fully vaccinated. (2 shots).

But it also said that they were mostly over 80 years old.

And the article also said, therefore the Booster shot is important.

https://www.msn.com/de-de/nachrichten/welt/viele-corona-tote-in-bayern-waren-vollst%C3%A4ndig-geimpft-wie-kann-das-sein/ar-AAQHSJ8?cvid=0d95edd207244d16ac092a802aac3f7c&ocid=winp1taskbar

But that is the news from today, probably tomorrow we will read a complete different thing.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

According to the article that is not true.

Where exactly is any scientific and medical evidence provided as a justification, there is none I can identify, the only justification is being mentioned is that other countries are doing it so Japan will follow.

You understand what scientific evidence is, right?

The Science clear shows that people with only 2 shots pose a greater risk to society than people who have taken all 3 recommend shots.

And yet you fail to provide this "science" even after explicitly asked to demonstrate it, that indicate there is no such thing, the same that happened when you said that CDC demonstrated infection and vaccination were equivalent, up until a communication from the CDC clearly said this is not the case and people with previous vaccinations were more likely to get infected again.

-2 ( +12 / -14 )

I haven't had a single shot and am on busy trains each day. I feel great. I'm not afraid of their boogeyman.

Aah, the old “I drive without a seatbelt everyday and haven’t died once” argument.

The Science clear shows that people with only 2 shots pose a greater risk to society than people who have taken all 3 recommend shots.

But you don’t believe that, so why keep banging on about it? Still, if so, where on your science scale does that put people who’ve had 0 or 1 shot?

1 ( +12 / -11 )

Boy have the tables turned. In the middle of the year, people were comparing Japan to a developing country. Writing sentences such as: "Japan is a developing country in terms of vaccines" Now Japan leads the world, the highest vaccination rate, the lowest death rate, the lowest case numbers. Now, the west in the middle of a brutal covid wave and no one is comparing the west to a developing country. I wonder why.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Meiyouwenti......

The best defense against viruses is natural immunity and, if you’ve ever been infected, acquired immunity.

There is no scientific data to back this claim. In fact the opposite is true. Immunity from an infection actually wains FASTER than that from any of the available vaccines.

-5 ( +9 / -14 )

 if I have to have a new Covid shot every year or whatever the regime is, then fine, especially if it keeps me out of hospital.

Exactly and if everyone does what you do, then we won't have a pandemic of the unvaccinated and everyone is better off in the long run.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

A booster for the other two that didn't prevent infection or transmission. Pfizer, you're on a winner.

4 ( +14 / -10 )

May I ask, after you get your 3rd shot, how will you feel about the people who have taken 2 but refused the 3rd?

Especially as more and more evidence is released indicating that their protection wanes each passing day.

Honestly - @Burning Bush, I don't care what others choose, but I do care about my own health and those close to me. I have a flu jab every year, so it won't make the blind bit of difference to if I have to have a new Covid shot every year or whatever the regime is, then fine, especially if it keeps me out of hospital.

2 ( +12 / -10 )

How quickly the public forgets as the goalpoasts shift.

Eh? The goalpost is at minimizing the effects of covid on the world population. When has that ever shifted?!

1 ( +16 / -15 )

We've always said that if the science shows a 3rd or 4th booster to be necessary, then we will follow the science. 

How quickly the public forgets as the goalpoasts shift.

4 ( +16 / -12 )

Therefore "fully vaccinated" means 3 shots, not 2.

Scientifically, medically it means one or two for most of the population.

The best defense against viruses is natural immunity and, if you’ve ever been infected, acquired immunity. They are several times more robust than vaccine-induced immunity and cause no side effects.

Completely false, one because natural infection comes with all the risks you avoid with vaccination, which by definition would make it worse, and because it can be less effective and last for shorter time, which would make reinfections a greater risk than infections after vaccination. Just expressing irrational wishes as if they were facts do not make them so.

Four? You’ll get your wish, and then some.

Not for long.

Making baseless predictions the center of your argument evidence that you have no actual current basis to defend it.

May I ask, after you get your 3rd shot, how will you feel about the people who have taken 2 but refused the 3rd?

Medically, scientifically they are as protected as those with extra boosters.

It wasnt so long ago that those saying third shots would be “necessary” and children would also be targeted for vaccination were ridiculed as crazed conspiracy theorists.

That is false, this was contemplated as a realistic possibility from the beginning because variants were an inevitable development until herd immunity is achieved and because vaccines demonstrated to be safe enough so vaccinating children could easily mean lowering the risk for them.

People that used invalid reasons to exaggerate and mislead with imaginary developments ("not for long") were the ones that validly were considered conspiracy zealots.

-4 ( +15 / -19 )

It wasnt so long ago that those saying third shots would be “necessary” and children would also be targeted for vaccination were ridiculed as crazed conspiracy theorists.

No, I don't believe that ever happened. Anti-vaxxers like to retroactively make up persecution. We've always said that if the science shows a 3rd or 4th booster to be necessary, then we will follow the science. No one ever made the silly persecutorial claims you proclaim above.

-4 ( +9 / -13 )

Not for long.

Yeah, after immunization goes down, it only makes sense logically that someone would not continue to be considered fully immunized. But after they've had the booster they will.

It's very easy to understand.

1 ( +12 / -11 )

No. Fully vaccinated is 2 shots. 3rd is a booster.

Not for long.

5 ( +16 / -11 )

May I ask, after you get your 3rd shot, how will you feel about the people who have taken 2 but refused the 3rd?

If they're spreading covid, I won't feel good about them.

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

Why not just starting from today? No, not to me, paint your answer directly into next infection wave’s graph…lol

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Acquired immunity is actually a vicious joke because you have to get infected first to get that, the prevention of which is the whole point of vaccination

also, those who have been infected and are infected again are 5 times more likely to require hospitalization than the vaccinated who get infected.

0 ( +11 / -11 )

Fully vaccinated = 3 shots

Unvaccinated = 2 or less

No. Fully vaccinated is 2 shots. 3rd is a booster.

It’s really simple.

4 ( +18 / -14 )

Gimme 4 if that's what it takes. I am grateful to science for creating a means of preventing death from this virus.

Four? You’ll get your wish, and then some.

1 ( +15 / -14 )

5 million of those infected before have absolutely zero chance of getting infected again. They have acquired absolute immunity against infection.

They're dead

14 ( +25 / -11 )

The best defense against viruses is natural immunity and, if you’ve ever been infected, acquired immunity. They are several times more robust than vaccine-induced immunity and cause no side effects.

If the best defense is natural immunity then the vaccine wouldn't have been needed to be developed in the first place.

Acquired immunity is actually a vicious joke because you have to get infected first to get that, the prevention of which is the whole point of vaccination

12 ( +22 / -10 )

I'll be getting mine in February. :-)

-6 ( +9 / -15 )

The best defense against viruses is natural immunity and, if you’ve ever been infected, acquired immunity. They are several times more robust than vaccine-induced immunity and cause no side effects.

-13 ( +16 / -29 )

Absoutely incorrect @Burning Bush. Its a booster, as you well know. When a large Bloc of countries such as the EU - or the US, or indeed Japan start defining a 3 shot regime for right of entry, right to do a certain job, the right to sit in a restaurant etc then I will accept your definition. I don't want hear about Israel from you, I'm not going and neither are a lot of people from here. So, right now, it's a booster. I will assume that Moderna will also be approved by the end of December for boosters, which means I will happily put my arm out at the end of February for it.

Totally understand that you don't want it - free choice and all that, but beware your freedoms of daily life slipping away from you - perhaps not here, but elsewhere. Ah, But you won't be able to travel anywhere. Kind of irrelevant!

2 ( +17 / -15 )

Therefore "fully vaccinated" means 3 shots, not 2.

Gimme 4 if that's what it takes. I am grateful to science for creating a means of preventing death from this virus.

14 ( +39 / -25 )

I received my second shot of Moderna in July...so 8 months later is march next year.

I will wait and see how is the situation in march.

Many things can change until march...maybe Moderna is also approved for the 3 shot then, maybe Corona dissapeared from the world, maybe conspiratory theories are proven to be true, maybe China will finally confirm that they create that virus, maybe there is already a perfect Covid treatment medicine available which makes vaccined unnecessary...who knows...

Many water will run down the hill until march.

So I will wait and see until then.

-1 ( +18 / -19 )

I'm going to get my booster shot just as soon as it is available to me.

18 ( +38 / -20 )

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