Tokyo, Aug 20 (IANS): The Japanese government is preparing to offer a third shot of the Covid-19 vaccine to medical workers if the Health Ministry believes it is needed, a Minister said here.

Taro Kono, the Minister in charge of the Covid-19 vaccine rollout, made the remarks at a meeting of a Diet committee on Thursday that the US government decided to offer booster doses to people eight months after their second injection, reports Xinhua news agency.

Japan started the vaccination for its medical workers in February, and eight months after that is October, he said.

According to Kono, the government's current priority is to make sure that people who are willing for inoculation can get the required two shots as soon as possible.

The mInister also said the government is making preparations for the infection programs so that the inoculation can be implemented quickly in the occasion the Health Ministry recommends the booster shots.

The decision of the US government was based on data revealing that an additional shot is necessary to ensure the immune system can constantly fight against the virus.