Japan suspends use of 1.63 million doses of Moderna’s Covid-19 vaccine due to anomaly

Japan On Thursday, it announced that it was suspending the use of 1.63 million doses The Covid-19 Vaccine from modernAfter detecting impurities in some of the bottles, and according to local media, they were manufactured in Spain.

The Japanese pharmaceutical group Takeda, which imports and distributes this vaccine in Japan, said in a statement that it had received “reports from various vaccination centers, that foreign bodies were found” in sealed vials.

“After consulting with the Ministry of Health, we have decided to suspend the use” of all vaccines from three batches, a total of 1.63 million doses, the group added.

Confirmation called on the American laboratory “Moderna” to conduct an “urgent investigation” of these quantities that were produced, according to local media, in Spain.

The impurity was discovered in 39 vials at eight vaccination centers in Japan, according to public television network NHK.

The bottles belong to only one of the three indicated batches. But the government spokesman clarified on Thursday that the other two were isolated as a precaution, Katsunobu Kato.

The spokesman confirmed in a press conference that “there is nothing to indicate” that the accused doses were taken.

Japan’s Defense Ministry, which operates vaccination centers, said medical personnel usually check vials before injecting doses.

About 43% of the population is fully vaccinated in Japan, which is currently facing record levels of daily infections from the delta variant.