４回目接種、医療従事者へ拡大　新型コロナワクチン―政府

　新型コロナウイルスワクチンの４回目接種について、政府が６０歳未満の医療従事者や高齢者施設職員らに対象を拡大する方向で検討していることが１３日、関係者への取材で分かった。オミクロン株の別系統「ＢＡ．５」への置き換わりなどによる感染再拡大を受け、自治体などが要望していた。厚生労働省の専門部会で近く議論される見通し。
　４回目接種は、重症化予防を目的として、対象者を３回目から５カ月以上経過した６０歳以上や基礎疾患のある１８歳以上に限定している。（2022/07/13-12:13）

The Japanese government is considering expanding the scope of people eligible for fourth shots of COVID-19 vaccines to newly cover medical workers aged under 60, sources said Wednesday.
   The expansion, which will also add elderly care facility employees to the eligibility list, will follow requests from local governments amid a coronavirus resurgence driven by the spread of the BA.5 omicron variant, the sources said.
   An expert panel of the health ministry is seen discussing the expansion soon.
   Currently, fourth shots are available only to people aged 60 or older who received their third shot at least five months ago and those aged 18 or over with underlying conditions such as diabetes, chronic heart diseases and obesity.
   The fourth round is aimed at preventing recipients from developing severe symptoms. At present, the government excludes healthy people under 60 from the eligibility list.