Japan’s health ministry has approved five types of coronavirus vaccines for use in this season’s campaign that starts on October 1.
People aged 65 or older and those between 60 and 64 years old with a high risk of developing severe COVID symptoms are eligible for the campaign.
The five types approved on Thursday include a new product called a replicon RNA vaccine that is capable of self-amplifying mRNA, or messenger RNA, which helps produce antibodies to the virus.
The others are three mRNA vaccines that have already been used in Japan and a recombinant protein vaccine.
The fee differs by municipalities. The central government will provide local governments with a per-shot subsidy of 8,300 yen, or about 58 dollars, to cap a copayment of under about 50 dollars.
People who are not eligible for the campaign will have to pay the full expense.