日微調注射疫苗政策

Recently the Jiji News reported the following:

新型インフルエンザ用ワクチンをめぐり、長妻昭厚生労働相は１１日、高校生以下の年齢層を除き、１回接種を正式決定したと発表した。これまでは２回を原則としていたが、１回と２回とで得られる免疫がほとんど変わらないとの臨床試験結果から、専門家らが１回で十分とする見解をまとめたため。　今回の決定により、接種スケジュールが前倒しされる。また、従来は接種対象外だった健康な成人がワクチンを打てる可能性も高まったが、実際の接種時期は遅く、新型インフルエンザ流行のピークには間に合わないとみられている。厚生労働省によると、持病のある人、妊婦、高齢者、１歳未満の乳児の保護者はすべて１回接種。１３歳未満の子どもは基礎的な免疫を持っていない可能性があるため２回とし、持病のある人のうち免疫状態が悪化している人は医師の判断で２回も可能とした。また、中学、高校生は当面２回を前提とし、１２月中に臨床試験結果がまとまるのを待って１回で済むかどうか判断する。　

The Health Minister announced on the 11th that they had been formally decided on one-dose vaccination regarding the vaccination for the new influenza, except for the age group below the high school student. Up to this moment, the principle was to go for two-dose vaccination. Based on the result obtained from the clinical trial on immunity, one-dose or two-dose had hardly showed any difference, as such specialists came to the conclusion that one-dose vaccination would be enough. The vaccination schedule could be moved up by this decision. But, as there was the possibility of vaccinating the healthy adults who all along were outside the vaccination schedule, on top of the delay in actual vaccination, they might be lacking behind in coping with the arrival of the peak of the new influenza. According to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, people who had chronic disease, pregnant women, senior citizens, and guardians of baby below one-year-old would be vaccinated once. Children of less than 13-year-old would receive twice because there was a possibility that they were without the basic immunity, also, people who had chronic disease and their immune status had deteriorated might receive twice depending on the doctor's judgment. Moreover, the junior high school and the high school student would now go ahead with two-doze vaccination, but by the end of December upon the release of the clinical trial result, a decision would be made on whether one-dose vaccination would suffice.

From the above we can see that Japan is fine-tuning its vaccination strategy in response to the new type influenza.