With the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine in Italy last 9 Februarythe vaccination campaign for teachers, armed forces and essential workers has also begun. FromSouth Tyrol to the Sicilia, passing through the Lazio, all regions have opened reservations to allow all the school staff to access the vaccine. In Piemonte, for example, memberships to the vaccination of teachers e over 80 have been almost 70.000 on opening day. As for the administrations, each region has chosen its own V day: eg Toscana e Puglia have already started (14 and 15 February), while the Marche will start from 1 March. Also in some cases, as in Sicilia, the vaccine will be given earlier at police and then to the teachers e ATA staff. Finally, in some regions, such as the Lazio, the general practitioners they will vaccinate patients in their clinics (from March 1st).
Vaccination of teachers: AIFA OK for AstraZeneca vaccine up to 65 years
This 3 phase (or "parallel path”Of step 2 to use the words of Dominic Arcuri) of the vaccine plan has raised many doubts. The first controversies concerned therecommended age for the AstraZeneca vaccine (18-55 years) which he could have excluded from the vaccination of teachers nearly 270.000 professors (The 40% of permanent staff) with an age greater than 56 years. Fortunately, AIFA has just given the go-ahead for administrations also to subjects up to 65 years (if in good health). Secondly, the concerns are the variants of Covid-19 (As English e South African) that are spreading more and more rapidly in our country. Against these variants AstraZeneca would be less effective than Pfizer e Modern and many think it is a Series B vaccine. Many experts, such as the infectious disease specialist Matthew Bassetti, however, they reassured the minds, stating that AstraZeneca is a safe Covid vaccine.
AstraZeneca will probably not be the only vaccine used to vaccinate teachers. The Vaccine Johnson & Johnson has applied for marketing authorization toEMA and the green light should come to half of March. This new drug (which does not need a booster) could be used to vaccinate the school staff, the prisoners, police and essential workers over 55 years with pathologies. If all goes as planned, the return of in-person teaching in safety could be a realizable dream, at least in the last months of the school year. Unfortunately, Covid is always unpredictable. With new red areas around the corner (if not a national lockdown), it will be necessary to act quickly to vaccinate as many people as possible in the shortest possible time.
