COVID-19: By Next September Italy May Vaccinate the Entire Population

"Between the second and third quarter of next year, we will potentially be able to vaccinate the entire population".

This was stated by the Commissioner for the emergency, Domenico Arcuri, during a hearing in the Italian parliament.

Italy is entitled to 13.46% of the vaccine doses that will be gradually distributed by EU.

 "With regard to herd immunity, scientific experts tell us that at least 60% of citizens will have to be vaccinated - added Arcuri. We hope that also thanks to a massive communication campaign we can overcome the obstacles that exist with this process"

 On December 29 and January 12, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will rule on the documentation provided by Pfizer and Moderna on the anti Covid vaccines. This should allow 3.4 million doses to vaccinate 1.7 million people.

 In the second half of January mass vaccinations are expected to begin, then the available doses will increase and by the end of summer or early autumn, Italy expects to complete the administration of the largest mass vaccination campaign that has ever taken place in the country.

 "We are happily part of the EU and the evaluation times of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) will allow vaccination courses to be started more or less simultaneously in all European countries. The evaluation process of the information available in the dossier submitted to EMA will be extraordinarily rigorous and this is the best guarantee of safety" " added Franco Locatelli, president of the Higher Health Council (Css) and member of the scientific technical committee, responding to the different timing with which the Covid-19 vaccine will arrive in the UK compared to the rest of the European Union./Ansa