Japan to ship total of 1.6 mil COVID vaccine doses to Nepal

Well Done Japan. Glad to see this happening.

The situation about available vaccine shots in Japan seems to be very different from province to province, some are good in organization and some are nothing but a chaos. It really depends where you are living.

We both got the vaccination coupons from the ward office by mail, date as promised on its homepage.

I (foreigner, permanent resident) and wife (Japanese) had no problem to find a clinic not far away from our home to accept us and we got a reservation with date and time for both of us for the 1st and 2nd shot - when we came there on these two days for our shots at 12:00 noon everything was prepared. No waiting, just a few minutes and it was done.

We got 2 x comirnaty (pfizer/biontech) and so far no side effects noticed, except being a bit tired for 2 days and some little pain in the left arm after these two vaccinations.

We also received a medical certificate from the clinic, which can be used to apply for international vaccination certificate at the ward office anytime.

Very satisfied, no complaints.

As they have so much AZ that is going unused here, maybe they'll make it available as boosters later on down the road.

A number of studies have shown that when a different vaccine from the first course is given later, it can increase the number of antibodies.

I'm cool with that. I'd take an AZ, or Moderna or even J&J, in 3-6 months from now as a booster for my original Pfizer course. Even a 3rd Pfizer shot taken months later has shown a lot of promise. So, that would be fine with me, as well.

There are many words to describe TPTB in Japan but what are the concerns?

The situation is untenable.Work and income are falling.Bills are rising.Being unvaccinated is a disadvantage and for some a worry.

Taxes are being wasted on boondoggles and foreign aid.

What to do?

Well, the obvious one is to leave Japan

egads man:

Astra was approved for use in Japan on July 30 for people age 40 and older. It wasn't used until now because of the possibility of blood clots forming. Japan has been exporting Astra to other countries.

So, in other words, Japan has no qualms about Nepalese and other foreigners developing blood clots?

Nepal bought vaccines from China but China was unhappy that the price of their useless vaccine was disclosed by the Nepali media since that will make it clear to the entire world that China is taking smaller nations for a ride. But some Nepali citizens still prefer the crumbs thrown out by China over the genuine concern shown by other countries without any strings attached.

Good J government! Let s try to help out as much as possible.

It's time to uproot the family and leave...there is simply no way I cant forgive the goverment for their incompetence and do not wish my children to be subjected to it.....enough is enough."

I know how you feel, that is why most Japanese are getting the heck out western countries.

DeeToday 11:12 am JST

It's not as effective, so they ship it to these other countries in Asia.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine had an effectiveness of 93.7% at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 88% for the delta variant.

Two doses of AstraZeneca were found to be 74.5% effective at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 67% for delta.

That's completely irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that the vaccines were simply bought with our money and then donated. So why were they bought in the first place? Why don't we sort out the vaccination problem here first and then help foreign countries? It is certainly better to be vaccinated with some efficacy than not to be vaccinated at all.

Meanwhile, this is still the same argument made by government officials and LDP propagandists - that XYZ vaccine has such and such percentage of efficacy and is therefore being donated. But no one is questioning the money that has been thrown out the window in this way.

Japan will fly about 510,000 doses of AstraZeneca Plc vaccine made domestically under license on Thursday, and 330,000 more the following day.

I guess that is one way to confirm everything is okay with production

It's not as effective, so they ship it to these other countries in Asia.

Two doses of the Pfizer vaccine had an effectiveness of 93.7% at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 88% for the delta variant.

Two doses of AstraZeneca were found to be 74.5% effective at preventing symptomatic alpha infections, and 67% for delta.

Welcome to Japan's knuckle-dragging politicians and bureaucrats. Shipping the vaccine to Nepal is easier than organizing vaccinations in Japan. The latter requires organisation, time and critical thinking. Which Japan governance has a severe shortage of, save for a few rare bight spots. Fortunately, I live in one of them.

Japan will fly about 510,000 doses of AstraZeneca Plc vaccine made domestically

So Japan makes them, but it's too good for the Japanese people to use? I don't get it.

I wonder if the decision makes have ever paid attention to an airplanes safety announcements.

You know that part where they tell you to put on your own lifesaving device before helping anyone else. Because you can't help anyone else if you are overcome helping that first person before yourself.

The logic does work for more than just oxygen masks.

Let people here have the choice to use AstraZenaca if they want. I would have jumped at the choice earlier in the year or even now if I couldn't have got a vaccine shot.

Why is the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine made domestically under license, but not approved for use in Japan?

Mostly because the officials in charge of approving their use profit more from "protecting" people from exaggerated side effects than from a much more deadly disease. COVID deaths are seen as unfortunate but "natural" while the much less important problems from vaccines are considered fully the responsibility of the approving institutions.

So one person being hospitalized because of vaccines is more scare to them than 1000 dying from the infection.

Astra was approved for use in Japan on July 30 for people age 40 and older. It wasn't used until now because of the possibility of blood clots forming. Japan has been exporting Astra to other countries.

Oh, wait. I looked it up and it appears it has been approved. Must have missed the news.

Why is the AstraZeneca Plc vaccine made domestically under license, but not approved for use in Japan?

Two of those doses are mine. Since I can not get in my area.

And yet, in my area they've cancelled reservations and won't take anymore because of a shortage.

Yup. Same. I looked up one of the most prominent clinics in my area yesterday and the very first thing on the website is:

現在、ワクチン供給不足のため予約は休止しております。申し訳ございません。

It's puzzling, too. Politicians never do anything without ulterior motives, and the people who are going to be the recipients of thus munificence can't vote. There's no way that Japan's doing this out of altruism.

And yet, in my area they've cancelled reservations and won't take anymore because of a shortage.