COVID-19 Vaccination Program to Include New ‘Replicon’ Vaccine

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s subcommittee has approved five products, including a new type of vaccine called ‘Replicon’, to be used in the regular COVID-19 vaccination program starting next month.

Regular vaccinations for the COVID-19 vaccine will begin on the 1st of next month, targeting the elderly aged 65 or older and those aged 60 to 64 with a high risk of severe symptoms.

As with seasonal influenza, in principle, the target group must pay part of the vaccination cost themselves. The out-of-pocket cost for regular vaccinations varies by local government, but the government provides support of 8,300 yen per vaccination to each local government, resulting in a maximum cost of approximately 7,000 yen.

The approved vaccines include a new type of vaccine called a “replicon,” which replicates mRNA in the body that has the effect of creating antibodies against the virus. Additionally, three mRNA vaccines and a recombinant protein vaccine that have been used so far have also been approved.

It’s worth noting that vaccination is optional for people other than the target group, and they must in principle bear the full cost.

The inclusion of the new ‘Replicon’ vaccine in the regular COVID-19 vaccination program is expected to provide more options for those eligible for vaccination.