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Influenza vaccine, still few doses for pharmacies – Corriere.it

While waiting for the coronavirus vaccine, the race to protect themselves against theinfluenza. The reasons are many: to decrease the pressure on hospitals already overworked to assist covid patients, to help doctors in diagnosing suspected cases, to defend against a disease that still has its own burden of suffering. In view of increased demand, health authorities have increased purchases, reaching more than 17 million doses nationwide. The free injection for some categories considered most at risk, such as the over 65, the chronically ill, healthcare workers. In many Regions, the invitation of the Ministry of Health to extend the offer to 60-64 year olds and children between six months and six years has been accepted.

The knot of times and organization

The injection for not yet available to everyone. Deliveries, which were already staggered in the past, this year are getting longer due to the many requests received by the manufacturing companies. Calendars also vary according to the local health authorities. It is also unclear how many doses will remain for people who do not fall into the risk categories and who usually buy the vaccine at the pharmacy. An agreement was signed in the State-Regions Conference which allows the Regions to distribute 1.5 percent of their stocks to pharmacies. An insufficient quota to satisfy private demand, according to pharmacists. But that could increase if doses are left over from vaccinating the most fragile. Another problem is the organization of general practitioners. The injection needs three / four weeks to be effective – explains Fiorenzo Corti, deputy national secretary of the Fimmg family doctors union -. Even if the vaccinations slip to mid-November, they are useful. The flu spike usually comes around Christmas. The risk, if anything, is another. Let’s understand how the coronavirus epidemic continues. If the cases increase a lot, it will be difficult to manage the flu campaign and the patients infected by covid at the same time. Local health authorities and municipalities have also made available spaces to allow safe vaccinations, respecting the distancing between people.

Lombardy: the controversy over the races

In Lombardy the campaign was preceded by much controversy for competitions failed and the rise in prices for the latest purchases, which pushed the Power of attorney to open a fact-finding investigation. At the end of the procedures, according to the Region we arrived at 2 million and 800 thousand doses. Distribution to general practitioners (who can collect supplies from pharmacies) began on October 19, in small tranches of 20/30 vaccines. In the first three days, 280,563 doses were managed, of which 157,128 for the flu and 123,435 for the pneumococcal. The activity will intensify in November, with the departure of bookings also at the vaccination centers to which patients can contact if their doctor does not adhere to the campaign. In addition, the Ats and the Municipalities are collaborating for find suitable spaces to vaccinations. TO Milano one should be active by the middle of the month tensile structure in Piazza del Duomo dedicated to adults and another center is being identified for children (six months-six years). However, it is not yet known how many doses the Region reserves for pharmacies for sale to individuals. For non-fragile citizens, therefore, times are getting longer.

The campaign just started in Piedmont

In Piedmont the activity started on October 26th. Of the million and 100 thousand doses booked, the Region has so far received 400,000, to be distributed to doctors and prevention structures which in turn will vaccinate patients for free. If there are many requests, stocks can increase by up to 20 percent. Instead, the first 16,500 vaccines to be sold in pharmacies should arrive at the end of this week. The crux lies in the prescription to purchase them: the Region would like to give the green light to the dematerialized recipe, the outcome of the meeting with the ministry on the subject is awaited.

Veneto and Friuli in advance

Left in mid-October, the campaign in Veneto already well advanced. According to the regional offices, the80 percent of the 320,000 doses buy. Two more tranches are scheduled in early November and December. The free ticket also extends to children up to six years of age. He has not yet delivered supplies to the pharmacies for the Region. At least 30,000 doses that non-fragile citizens will be able to buy over the counter. In Friuli doctors and nurses have been working to protect the population from the flu virus for three weeks. To solve the problem of spaces, in some structures the buffer point for suspected coronavirus cases was flanked by a vaccine point, keeping separate paths.

In Tuscany, tensile structures for vaccination

The Tuscany among the first to have started the prevention activity, at the beginning of October. Almost a million and a half free doses for the elderly, the chronically ill and children. Three days after their departure, they had been booked by the doctors 372,690 vaccines, confirming the high demand from patients. In addition to the clinics, tensile structures for vaccination have been set up or local health authorities reused. In some territories, the sampling points, usually unused in the afternoon, have also been converted for the campaign.

In Emilia Romagna 3 percent of doses to pharmacies

Emilia-Romagna intends to protect up to 1.2 million people, compared to 860 thousand in the 2019/2020 campaign, with the possibility of requesting additional supplies and reaching one million and 460 thousand doses. Of these, 3 percent go to pharmacies for citizens who do not have the right to free injection. Among the categories to be protected, it was decided not to include all children from six months to six years, but only those who are fragile due to their health conditions. The campaign was brought forward to 12 October and 451,000 injections have been made so far. Distribution to general practitioners, pharmacies and vaccination centers continues.

Slowdowns in distribution in Lazio

Even the Lazio burn the stages, but discount some delay in deliveries. So far they have been administered 567,711 vaccine doses flu, equal to an increase of 700 percent compared to the same period last year – the Region said -. an extraordinary pace, higher than the supply capacity of the winning companies of the public tender. This week there could be a significant slowdown as 50,000 doses will be distributed. We have to wait until November 9 to see the expected one million vaccines arrive. At the same time, the distribution plan in pharmacies of 20,000 doses per week continues.

Race to protect themselves in Sicily

Same fate for the Sicily, where in some provinces the first supply has already run out. Doses have been bought for 1.5 million people, 65 percent more than last year. Although the campaign traditionally starts later (in November), this year there is an anticipation of requests, particularly from frail patients. 181,000 people have already been protected in the province of Palermo, 139,000 in Catania, 30,000 in Ragusa. As elsewhere, the problem of supplies for pharmacies remains.


October 30, 2020 (change October 30, 2020 | 11:38 am)

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