福岡市でワクチン３回目接種始まる　一般高齢者も前倒し加速―新型コロナ

　福岡市は５日、６５歳以上の一般高齢者を対象とした新型コロナウイルスワクチンの３回目接種を始めた。国が２回目接種からの間隔を当初の８カ月から７カ月に短縮したのを受けた対応。新型コロナの変異株「オミクロン株」とみられる感染が各地で急拡大しており、施設入所者以外の高齢者でも前倒し接種の動きが加速している。
　集団接種会場は２カ所で、その一つ、中央体育館（中央区）には同日午前から予約した市民が訪れた。約８００カ所のクリニックで個別接種も実施し、集団接種会場は今後８カ所に拡大する。集団にはモデルナ製、個別にはファイザー製のワクチンを使う。市では「ワクチンはオミクロン株にも有効とされており、早めに接種を受けていただきたい」（担当者）と呼び掛けている。（2022/01/05-16:53）

The southwestern Japan city of Fukuoka began to give a third shot of novel coronavirus vaccines Wednesday, earlier than initially planned, to residents aged 65 or over.
   A growing number of Japanese municipalities are moving up the administration of COVID-19 booster shots to the elderly, including those who are not residents of care facilities, amid an increase in the number of infection cases apparently linked to the highly contagious omicron variant of the novel coronavirus.
   The moving up of the schedules for the booster shots came after the Japanese government decided to shorten the interval between the second and third shots to seven months from eight.
   In Fukuoka, the capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, booster shots are available at two large sites, including a gym in Chuo Ward, which use the vaccine from U.S. biotechnology firm Moderna Inc., and at some 800 clinics, using U.S. drug giant Pfizer Inc.'s vaccine. The number of mass vaccination venues will be increased to eight later.
   "The vaccines are believed to be effective against omicron, so we want people to get vaccinated quickly," a Fukuoka city government official said.