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Good news for all Italians: from June 3, 2021 the mass vaccination campaign will officially start, with vaccines available ages 12 and up. There will no longer be preferential age groups and, as established by General Francesco Figliuolo, Commissioner for the Covid-19 emergency, the administration of doses will be intensified, also opening up to adolescents, hitherto excluded.
Vaccine for adolescents
Teenagers from 12 to 15 years will finally be included in the vaccination plan and, again starting from 3 June 2021, they will be able to receive the first dose of the anti Covid vaccine. An important step, given that we are dealing with “a population of about 2,300,000 young people“, As General Figliuolo himself stated, who had already included this age group in the plan presented in March.
The Commissioner specified that the administration of the Pfizer vaccine, which has already received the approval of the EMA (European Medicines Agency) but is also awaiting that of AIFA (the Italian Medicines Agency). For teenagers aged 12 to 15 there are no preferential channels and – based on the choice of individual regions – they will be able to book the vaccine in the dedicated hubs but also in pharmacies, pediatric clinics and family doctors.
“This is an important novelty, also considering the reopening of schools in September“, Added the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza. And this is precisely the objective of Commissioner Figliuolo: to guarantee maximum coverage to the student population in view of their return to class.
New doses of vaccine on the way
The opening of vaccinations to the entire population, regardless of age groups, comes at this time for a very specific reason. Ben is expected to arrive in June 20 million doses therefore Commissioner Figliuolo aims to get out of the “emergency” phase to arrive at the “structural” and systematic one, in which the vaccine is up to everyone without limits or priority.
In reality, the doses would have been even more, but the EMA has not yet given the ok for the German vaccine Curevac, currently on stand-by. News also regarding the places of administration vaccines, which will not only be limited to prepared hubs. The vaccination plan also intends to involve workplaces and companies, therefore consultations have already begun in the various regions with trade associations.
Vaccines in companies
General Figliuolo has very clear ideas and presses on the regions so that they too companies are involved for the administration of vaccines. The proposal was positively received by companies, many of which (more than 730) have given full availability to set up within them hubs dedicated to workers.
Each region will decide for itself, taking into account in the first place the different territorial plans, but the protocol adopted will be unique. Business owners will be able to set up vaccination points in their offices where the doses can be injected to employees, or enter into agreements with external structures or INAIL (National Institute for Accident Insurance at Work). Whatever the choice, employees will be able to get vaccinated during working hours.
