«By the summer, all Italians who want it will be able to be vaccinated". This is what was declared by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, to the program Half an hour more di Lucia Announced, broadcast on Rai 3. "The next quarter will be the decisive one - Minister Speranza continued. During the first quarter we paid, together with the other European countries, a limitation on supplies. The second quarter begins on April XNUMXst and we expect more 50 million doses. We aim for a very high number, which is half the population. Between these doses is a new vaccine that we hope will be approved by theEMA the11 March (Johnson & Johnson) and has a non-trivial difference, which is that only one dose will be enough for immunization. This is a relevant fact on a logistical and organizational level. By the second quarter, the majority of Italians will be able to be vaccinated ".
Minister Roberto Speranza forecasts: where are we with vaccines?
The minister's expectations, for some, are very optimistic, especially considering that Johnson & Johnson has already warned the EU of possible supply problems. The US pharmaceutical company, in fact, has not assured the arrival of 55 million doses in the Old Continent (of which 7,3 million to Italy) in second quarter of 2021. Despite this, in the third quarter the agency is expected to double the doses forEuropean Union. This cut to vaccines it could therefore change the government's plans on mass vaccination (in the very short term). Johnson & Johnson has however promised to deliver to Europe 200 million doses of its vaccine by 2021. However, good news arrives on the front AstraZeneca. Minister Roberto Speranza has in fact signed a circular that allows the use of Vaccine also for the over 65 (except for extremely vulnerable individuals). This will allow the drug to be distributed to a larger slice of the population.
Unfortunately the contagion curve in Italy continues to rise and many regions may pass from orange to red. To ensure that vaccinations are accelerated, and Minister Roberto Speranza's prediction comes true, it will probably be necessary to take some drastic decisions. Just in the days of the first anniversary of the first lockdown, many return to talk about this measure (for three weeks), also in view of the Easter holidays. At the moment the government does not seem to want to resort to total closure, even if it could think of a lockdown on weekends, as indicated in the CTS. This, along with more restrictions for the yellow and the local red areas, could be enough to avoid a worsening of the Covid-19 situation in Italy. There third wave seems to have already begun and experts predict that it will arrive at peak of infections in late March. The emergency is not over, but vaccines can help us get out of it faster.
Let's hope so!