“It will very likely be necessary to do one third dose of vaccine, a recall that will likely be “modified” to cover variants. It will therefore be necessary to pass from an extraordinary phase to an ordinary phase and I think that this new ordinariness can be entrusted to our extraordinary network of general practitioners».
To say it, speaking with Fabio Fazio What time ago was the Minister of Health on Sunday evening Roberto Speranza.
Vaccine for 12-15 year olds
The minister explained that, “By the hour”, after the approval of the Ema (the European agency for medicines), the Italian Agency for medicines (Aifa) will also give the green light to the use of the vaccine Pfizer also in the range between 12 and 15 years (here the data on safety and efficacy for that age group).
“Aifa will do its part in the next few hours,” he said. “Once Aifa has made this step, we will have the opportunity to use Pfizer even between the ages of 12-15. I think it is very important, especially if we look at the resumption of school in September”.
For administration to this age group, he said, “we must use pediatricians of free choice as much as possible. Italian pediatricians are of extraordinary quality and have a local roots, a very important relationship of trust with families. I would like to see their maximum protagonism always in coordination with the territories and regions ».
The masks
Commenting on the data – which continue to show signs of improvement (2949 new cases and 44 deaths in the last 24 hours, the lowest figure since October) – Speranza said that «the absolute priority for us is to give the vaccine to all those taking the virus are in danger of dying. So for me the absolute priority for the moment is still to cover people aged 60 and over who have not had the vaccine ».
“We have built some guidelines. What stage are we at? We return to business, businesses that were closed until a few weeks ago are reopened, but they do so with an element of caution “, continued the minister, underlining the need to maintain a cautious approach:” masks they are and remain fundamental. The distance remains and is fundamental. Avoiding gatherings remains a decisive rule. Overall, the mask is not a huge price. We can still afford, in a transition phase, to have an extra caution ».
«I», concluded the owner of the Ministry of Health, «I am confident, I look with reasoned trust in the coming weeks. We must continue to have this double attitude ».