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ROME In the United Kingdom, vaccination is already underway, in the United States it begins within 24 hours of the FDA’s confirmation of the emergency authorization of the product developed by Pfizer and BioNTech. Europe will be a month late as the meeting of the EMA (the EU regulatory agency) to decide the green light for this vaccine is scheduled for December 29. Subsequently, the documents of the European Commission and Aifa in Italy will be needed.
Pfizer vaccines in our country were expected by the end of January, we are rushing to advance deliveries by two weeks, precisely because the image of Italy (and Europe) is behind the United Kingdom, United States (but also in Canada, Arabia Saudi, Bahrain and Mexico) is not very presentable, especially in a country where 600-800 people die every day from coronavirus.
The management plan
The most important day, if the new schedule is respected, will be the January 15 (or in any case close to this date): also in Italy there will be the first vaccinations, but the hypothesis of a common D-day for the entire European Union is strong. The president of Veneto, Luca Zaia, hypothesizes the beginning “between 10 and 15 January”. Professor Franco Locatelli, president of the Higher Health Council: “By the summer, almost all Italians will be vaccinated.”
Initially, 1.8 million doses will arrive (in Lazio 170 thousand). We will start with injections to RSA doctors, nurses, operators and guests. Those over 80 will have to wait for the second supply, which they expect to receive in February. It is estimated that a third of the vaccines will be divided between Lazio and Lombardy. The figures: in Italy there are 1.4 million health workers and 570 thousand guests and employees of the RSA. Vaccination, even in these categories, is voluntary. Those over 80 are 4.4 million.
By the end of March, if the contracts are honored, a total of 8.7 million doses from Pfizer and 1.3 million from Moderna will arrive. All this was debated yesterday afternoon in an extraordinary meeting between the ministers Francesco Boccia (Regional Affairs), Roberto Speranza (Health), Commissioner Domenico Arcuri, Presidents and Councilors of Health of the Regions. To speed up time, it is necessary to send a document, region by region, with the number of people to be vaccinated and the delivery centers. Arcuri asked the Regions to send it before 10 am this morning, tomorrow it will be shot at Pfizer, which in Europe has a production center in Puurs, a small town in Flanders. From here, the vials will be transported to Brussels airport and shipped to Italy. They will have to stay at minus 70 degrees. The doses will be packaged in special boxes controlled by a GPS system that sends information to Pfizer. Each box, packed with dry ice, contains 4,875 doses. Vaccinations will be carried out in hospitals, 300 throughout Italy.
The unknown accession
Will there be a sufficient number of subscribers to the vaccination campaign? In the UK, only 50-60 per cent of staff said yes. Lazio Councilor for Health, Alessio D’Amato: “Of the approximately 200 thousand health workers in our region, 80 percent have told us that they intend to get vaccinated.” Numerous doctors and nurses have seen their colleagues become seriously ill. And there have been many casualties. All of this is important, along with the fear of passing the virus to a family member upon returning from work.
Another problem: between the first and second doses, no more than 28 days should pass, the entire operation must be well coordinated. Boccia: “The vaccination plan is a momentous challenge.” According to Speranza, in the first quarter of 2021 we will have 11 million doses (less than expected, the plan called for 28). On January 12, the EMA will decide on another American vaccine, Moderna (Italy has bought 10.7 million doses). AstraZenecca (40 million dose deal), despite a slowdown, also plans to obtain authorization in January. Esperanza: «The heart of the vaccination campaign will arrive at the end of spring. The first two authorizations will not be enough, we hope there will be others.
Last updated: 07:48
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