エラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Sep 7, 2023

Well, crud

Japan set to no longer provide covid vaccines for free as of April 2024
For those 65 and over and other high-risk people, vaccines will only be available annually in fall/winter, and the cost will be partially covered

Those 65 and under and deemed to be "low-risk," however, will have to pay entirely out of pocket as the vaccine will now be considered optional

UUUUGGGGGHHHHHHH ​

2023/11/12 update: At my booster appointment yesterday, I asked about whether folks who are so inclined could pay out of pocket for "non-seasonal" boosters, but the answer was "We don't know as of now. Please check the ward website for updates." ​ Will update again when/if I can find more information

2024/08/05 update: See replies for new information!!

#covid #CovidIsntOver #JapanNews #CovidJapan

コロナワクチン、国費での無料接種終了へ　65歳未満は原則自己負担
https://mainichi.jp/articles/20230907/k00/00m/100/298000c

コロナワクチン、国費での無料接種終了へ　65歳未満は原則自己負担 - 毎日新聞

　新型コロナウイルスワクチンの接種について、厚生労働省は2024年3月が期限となっている予防接種法上の「臨時接種の特例」という位置づけを、4月以降は延長しない方針を固めた。特例による全額国費での接種が終わる見通しで、厚労省の専門部会で議論して最終決定する。

毎日新聞
Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Sep 9, 2023

Here is an article from the Japan Times about the same information

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/09/09/japan/science-health/japan-free-covid-vaccinations-end-march/

Japan to end free COVID-19 vaccinations in March

From fiscal 2024, the country will provide a COVID-19 shot once a year between to people aged 65 or over who are at high risk of severe symptoms.

The Japan Times
Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Aug 5, 2024

Long overdue update: Seasonal vaxes for covid in Japan are ONLY available for residents ages 65+ & residents w/chronic comorbidities ages 60-64. The 2024 "season" will run Oct 1~Mar 31, 2025

With news finally trickling out about this & the cost (max ¥7000 in the above cases), I did some digging to see what anyone else is able to do & found:

The UGH
• The cost out of pocket is ¥15,000
• Most cities do not seem to list where you can go to get vaccinated, instead saying to "Please contact the medical facility directly"  

The YAY (🤞)
• The Moderna site which tracks domestic covid cases also now has a search feature for facilities offering the Moderna vaccine!
• Some medical facilities appear to be offering vaccines now!*
*All locations I checked say to "call for an appointment," so it's unclear if they are actually available right this minute
#covid #CovidIsNotOver #CovidJapan

Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Aug 5, 2024

⚠️ All resources I have found currently are JP only, as is true with the links below
--
Sources and Resources

📰 JP article about Oct campaign: https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/medical/20240721-OYT1T50112/

💉 Moderna page:
https://moderna-epi-report.jp/search_list.html

--
If JP is difficult for you, here are some helpful starting points for searching on your own 👇
(Not all cities are lacking lists of facilities, so a good place to start is plugging one or more terms below into your local municipality's search engine!)

Useful words to know/for searching:
自己負担（じこふたん jikofutan) = (cost) out of pocket
任意（にんい nin'i) = voluntary/optional
任意接種（にんい せっしゅ nin'i sesshu) = voluntary vaccination
医療機関（いりょう きかん iryou kikan) = medical facility
コロナワクチン接種（任意接種）が受けられる医療機関（ころな わくちん せっしゅ（にんいせっしゅ）が　うけられる　いりょう きかん korona wakuchin sesshu (nin'i sesshu) ga ukerareru iryou kikan）= medical facilities offering (voluntary) covid vaccinations
#covid #CovidIsNotOver #CovidJapan

新型コロナワクチンの定期接種、１０月から開始…全額自己負担の任意接種費は１万５０００円程度

　２０２４年度から始まる新型コロナウイルスワクチンの定期接種について、厚生労働省は、１０月１日をめどに開始する方針を固めた。期間は２５年３月３１日までで、各自治体が設定する。今後、審議会で議論し決定する。 　定期接種は、

読売新聞オンライン
Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9

I just received a notification specifically addressing voluntary vaccination (in Tokyo)!

・定期接種の対象者以外も、「任意接種」として全額自費での接種は可能です。
・"Even if you do not fall within the demographic to receive a periodic vaccination, it is possible to receive a vaccination voluntarily if you pay the full price."
(Reminder: the full price is ¥15,000)

For your local municipality, search your relevant webpage for
対象者以外
対象外
to see if there are specific policies in your area. (There hopefully shouldn't be, but just in case!)

For anyone wondering about the LUNAR-COV19 vaccine, I made a post here:
https://songbird.cloud/@niji_limbo/113112733193507051
But the short version is: It's not actually available yet. It's on the docket for this season, but more likely than not, it'll probably be better to get vaccinated from the usual stock rather than wait indefinitely

Hope this helps!

Source: https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/kansen/coronavaccine/index.html

#CovidIsNotOver #CovidJapan #CovidVaccine

エラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x7 (@[email protected])

やっぱり名前は違います！ 「コスタイベ筋注用」という次世代mRNAワクチン（レプリコン）だそうで、国内で配布されているのはアークトゥルス・セラピューティクス社ではなくMeiji Seikaファルマ株式会社でした！ 残念なことにまだ準備中だそうですが、これでひとまず情報を得て安心です！ 非臨床試験結果に関するPDF：https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/10906000/001266060.pdf ８月１０日時点で準備中だったというソース：https://www.vaccine4all.jp/news-detail.php?npage=2&nid=141 Finally found it! (Thanks to @[email protected] for pointing me to the right person to ask!) The vaccine name is not LUNAR-COV19 in Japan, but instead "Kostaive" (unintuitively コスタイベ), and the distributor is Meiji Pharma, which is why references to Arcturus are so few and far between. I was unfortunately only able to find one source indicating current availability, and it says "undergoing preparation" as of last month 🥲 So not available for this upcoming wave, but good to know for the future! (Check out the above links for JP information) #コロナ #コロナワクチン #ワクチン情報 #コロナワクチン情報 #コロナ禍は終わっていません #covid #CovidVaccine #LunarCOV19 #CovidIsNotOver

Songbird
Sep 26, 2024 at 9:54amWeb
Show threadBluesberrySep 26, 2024
@niji_limbo Thank you!
Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Sep 26, 2024
@babababa Hope it helps!
Show threadBluesberrySep 26, 2024
@niji_limbo It really does. Thanks again ✌️
Show threadroque (ロク)Sep 26, 2024
@niji_limbo Thank you for this! Here in Armpit, Fukuoka Pref. they just updated the city web page today with similar info, and Christ only knows when I would have eventually found out about it if I hadn’t known to look. Considering that since last winter *corona vaccines have not been available to anybody here for love nor money*, I’m totally OK with paying full price.
Show threadエラン履恵 • Elán Rie 💉x9Sep 26, 2024
@roque Glad to help!
Ugh, that's the worst  I hope you have better luck this year!!