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There are more than 250 thousand doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine produced in Italy and destined for Australia that our country has blocked based on the new European mechanism to control the export of anti-Covid vaccines. As the Brussels authorities explain, Italy had received an export authorization request for the Covid-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and on February 26 it sent its export denial proposal to the European Commission, leaving the European Union the last word to the respect as required by regulation.
Because Italy is the first EU country to block the export of vaccines
On March 2, the Italian proposal to deny the authorization met with the favor of the European Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs formally issued the export denial measure. Among the elements evaluated is the fact that the country to which the supply is delivered, Australia, is not considered “vulnerable” in light of the regulation of the export control mechanism for vaccines produced in the EU; the continuing shortage of vaccines in the European Union, including Italy; AstraZeneca dose delivery delays. Finally, the large number of doses exported: about 250 thousand.
Astrazeneca also for over 65s
The AIFA guidelines for the AstraZeneca vaccine, recommended so far only up to age 65, may be updated soon. As far as we know, the issue was addressed in today’s meeting between Minister Speranza, the new extraordinary commissioner Figliuolo, the head of Civil Protection Curcio and those responsible for health institutions.
The AstraZeneca vaccine, authorized by the AIFA at the end of January, was recommended first until the age of 55 years, then, after further clarification by the Agency’s Technical-Scientific Commission, until the age of 65. Recommendation then translated by the circular of the ministry, even if formally in Europe, and also in Italy, the vaccine is approved “from 18 years.”
New evidence on the safety and efficacy of serum for people over 65 could unlock a situation that has created a bottleneck in the vaccination campaign, with people over 80 (and healthcare professionals) receiving Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and teachers and law enforcement agencies under 65 to whom AstraZeneca is administered.
There remains an audience of subjects between 65 and 80 years old who were left behind in the vaccination campaign and who will soon be administered Astrazeneca. Anticipating the massive arrival of doses between March and April (and pending the green light of the EMA for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine) the executive will be invited to the Regions to use all the doses available for AstraZeneca, without fixing them. Besides, given the long time between the first dose and the booster.
