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TOKYO: Japan will purchase 10,500 freezers to store new coronavirus vaccines and is considering purchasing dry ice in bulk as it prepares to protect its population from the virus, the Health Ministry said on Thursday (December 10).
Japan has agreements to buy a total of 290 million doses of the vaccines from Pfizer, AstraZeneca and Moderna, or enough for 145 million people if everyone receives two injections as needed.
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Pfizer vaccines should be kept around minus 75 degrees Celsius, and Moderna’s around minus 20 degrees Celsius, which raises logistical problems.
Pfizer, as well as Moderna and its domestic partner Takeda Pharmaceutical, plan to build networks to keep vaccines at the proper temperature as they are delivered to the place where they will be deployed, the ministry said in a statement.
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NEW DAILY CASES IN TOKYO TOP 600
The number of new coronavirus infections in Japan’s capital has surpassed 600 in one day for the first time.
Experts from the Tokyo virus task force say the rise in infections has placed an additional burden on hospitals, making it difficult for many of them to carry out treatments for ordinary patients.
Tokyo reported 602 new cases on Thursday, while the daily count for the entire nation was 2,810. Japan has reported 168,573 infections since the pandemic began, with 2,465 deaths.
Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike urges residents to avoid non-essential excursions, especially older people and their families. Tokyo has issued a request for drinking venues to close early until December 17.
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