Italian army distributes Pfizer covid-19 vaccine around Italy.
A nurse working at Spallanzani hospital in Rome, a specialist center for infectious diseases, will be the first person in Italy to receive the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine, reports the Italian news agency ANSA.
The female nurse will be among the five staff at the Spallanzani, including two doctors, a health care social worker and a researcher, to receive the vaccine when the nationwide vaccination campaign starting December 27th.
The Spallanzani, who has been heavily involved in combat Italian coronavirus crisis, initially operating as Italy ‘s main center for the distribution of the Pfizer vaccine, was approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on 21 December.
The covid-19 vaccines, which are expected to arrive in Italy on Christmas Eve, will then be distributed nationwide by the Italian military.
The vaccine comes as it comes new covid-19 snoring sweeps through Britain confirmed in a person who returned from the UK a few days ago and has been lonely at the Spallanzani.
Walter Ricciardi, a senior adviser to the Italian health ministry, was quoted as saying in a Roman newspaper Il Messaggero such as saying he was “angry” with the UK for “staying quiet” and “not warning us” about the mutated coronavirus strain, despite knowing it was “in circulation since September. “
Ricciardi believes extended locks are now needed, “or at least very serious measures,” with Italy threatening a “new rise over Christmas.” He said he believes there will be ” it is “difficult” for schools to reopen in January.
Ricciardi said the new strain is not “more lethal, but circulates more than 70-80 percent faster.” He also believes the Pfizer vaccine will remain effective against the new strain.
This idea was raised by other leading health experts in Italy including Spallanzani director Francesco Vaia who told ANSA: “There has been no doubt about the vaccine.”
On 20 December Italy was among the first countries a ban flights from the UK about concerns about the new coronavirus strain.
Italy plans to deliver the vaccines from purpose-built tents, designed by Milan architect Stefano Boeri to be located in city squares across the country.
Initially there will be 300 release points but this will rise to 1,500 once the vaccination campaign is underway, the country ‘s Emergency Commissioner coronavirus Domenico Arcuri said.
The covid-19 vaccine will be free and will not be required in Italy, ANSA reports.