Alert for variants The alert has been launched worldwide for the circulation of variants of the SarsCoV2 virus and the bad news, announced today by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, is that the isolated one in the UK is not only the most contagious, but the deadliest of those known so far. The data that give substance to the announcement have not yet been published, but Johnson spoke of “some first evidences recorded in this sense”. “The most negative scenario” could therefore materialize, as the immunologist Sergio Abrignani, of the State University of Milan defined it. For this reason, it is important for scientists to continue to keep the attention threshold on coronavirus high and to maintain containment and distancing measures.
AstraZeneca, EU demands a precise plan In the evening, EU Commissioner for Health Stella Kyriakides commented on AstraZeneca’s delay in delivering pre-established doses. “The Commission and the Member States – reports the EU Commissioner for Health – have expressed deep dissatisfaction in this regard. We have insisted on a precise program for deliveries of doses according to which Member States should plan their vaccination plans, subject to the concession of a conditional marketing authorization “, which will be approved by the Commission after the green light of the EMA. “The Commission will continue to insist with AstraZeneca to prepare measures that increase the predictability and stability of deliveries and accelerate the distribution of doses”, concludes Kyriakides.
Pfizer, delays and reassurances to Italy Meanwhile, Brussels seeks clarification from Pfizer to understand if there will be further delays in deliveries next week. Just 24 hours earlier, the community executive had reassured that the slowdowns would not repeat themselves. In Europe, in fact, various vaccination campaigns have been slowed down or suspended due to the lack of doses of the Pfizer / BioNTech drug, including in Italy, Germany, Poland and Spain. Undersecretary for Health Sandra Zampa intervened on the Italian case. “Pfizer in these hours has given reassurances that it will return to a normal supply” of the Comirnaty vaccine developed by BioNTech and Pfizer to prevent Covid-19, Zampa said, adding: “But above all, it will give us back what has been removed”. “I want to specify – concluded Zampa – that the cut in the supply of doses is for all European countries and not just for Italy”.
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Aifa: no to the second dose for those who have been infected after the first vaccine Aifa in the meantime has announced that those who have been infected after the first Pfizer vaccine will not need the second dose. “In the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection after the first dose of the vaccine, the infection itself represents a powerful stimulus to the immune system that adds to that provided by the first dose of the vaccine. In light of this and the fact that the natural infection confers a specific immune response for the virus, it is not recommended to give these people the second vaccine dose “. This is the indication of the Italian Medicines Agency in a new Faq published on the site.
From Sunday “orange” Lombardy and Sardinia Lombardy and Sardinia will turn orange from Sunday 24 January. Health Minister Roberto Speranza has signed two ordinances in this regard.
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Iss: updated the Rt index of Lombardy after the change Lombardy will turn orange after the Region “has changed the number of symptomatic subjects notified by the Region itself. Therefore, a re-evaluation of monitoring is necessary in light of the correction provided”. This is evidenced by a technical report from the Higher Institute of Health.
Rezza: “Rt just below 1, restrictions worked” “For the first time after 5 weeks of ascent the RT tends to decrease and settles just below one”. This was underlined by Gianni Rezza, director general of prevention at the Ministry of Health, on the epidemiological situation and on the data that emerged from the control room. “The containment measures, the restrictions have worked and we must therefore continue to maintain prudent behavior”, he added.
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