コロナワクチン、全国民無料　接種に努力義務、救済制度も―厚労省

　国内外で開発が進む新型コロナウイルスのワクチンについて、厚生労働省は２日、接種を受ける全国民の費用を無料にする方針を厚生科学審議会の分科会に提示し、了承された。重症者数や死者数を減らすため、接種の努力義務を国民に課すことも盛り込んだ。
　同省は、接種費無料化などを盛り込んだ予防接種法改正案を今月下旬に召集予定の臨時国会に提出し、成立を目指す。
　了承された方針によると、新型コロナのワクチン接種は、疾病のまん延予防上緊急の必要がある時に行う予防接種法の「臨時接種」の枠組みで行う。実施主体となる市町村が接種勧奨し、費用は無料とする。
　接種で健康被害が出た国民の救済制度も整備し、救済額は現行の制度下で最高水準にする。健康被害が出た場合、製薬会社が負う補償を国が肩代わりする。（2020/10/02-17:12）

The Japanese health ministry received approval from a related panel Friday for its plan to offer vaccinations against the novel coronavirus free of charge to all citizens in the country.
   With the free vaccination plan, broadly okayed by the Health Science Council, an advisory panel of the ministry, the government aims to encourage as many people as possible to get vaccinations in order to reduce the number of severely ill COVID-19 patients and deaths caused by the disease.
   The ministry hopes to have a bill to revise the immunization law enacted at an extraordinary session of parliament to be convened in late October, in order to make COVID-19 vaccinations free of charge in the country.
   The ministry plans to provide the vaccinations as an emergency step to stem the spread of an infectious disease under the immunization law.
   Under the plan, local governments will encourage citizens to get vaccinations against the new coronavirus. Citizens will be obliged to make their best efforts to get vaccinated in principle.