Almost 180 thousand people vaccinated in Italy, over 65 thousand doses were administered: these are the numbers a few days after the start of the vaccination campaign against Covid that concern our country. Significant numbers that classify Italy in second place among the countries of the European Union. And so even if there are critical issues in some regions, things are going well. A mapping that changes day by day, but which nevertheless seems to mark a point in favor in the fight against contagion. And then there is another positive news and that concerns vaccines: that of the Reithera company, which is developing the Italian vaccine, seems to have had positive results in the experimentation.
Reassuring numbers made official by the government
And so the campaign seems to be proceeding swiftly. "Regarding the situation of the administration of the vaccine against Covid-19 - Government sources say -, it is specified that Italy has already vaccinated almost 180 thousand people. Only yesterday, with all the Regions that have initiated the campaign, over 65 doses were administered, a record figure in the European Union. The Italian numbers are already satisfactory today, because they place our country in second place in the continent for the quantity of doses administered ".
Significant numbers, therefore, which could allow us to go full speed, as Palazzo Chigi assures, within a few weeks. Italy is second only to Germany, which however had a higher initial endowment than ours. "A result for which we must thank the outstanding work of the women and men of our National Health System - explain from the Government -. We continue to engage in this great effort to deliver an unprecedented vaccination plan".
The wait for the Italian vaccine
And now the outcome of the experimentation on the Italian vaccine is awaited. The first results of Phase 1 of the trial of the Italian vaccine ReiThera GRAd-CoV2 were presented. The presentation at the Spallanzani Institute. And for the president of the CSS Franco Locatelli Italy "is able in an absolutely competitive way to play important games on the ability to generate sophisticated biomedical technology ". "We aim to develop 100 million doses of vaccine per year - said the president of the Reithera company, Antonella Folgore. - The vaccine is stable at a temperature between 2 and 8 degrees ".
The results on the Reithera vaccine
Presenting the results of the trial of this Phase 1 it was also announced that the Italian vaccine would be a single dose. Obviously it is still early for its diffusion. But the first numbers are encouraging. "We enrolled 100 people and 45 were vaccinated with different doses and all made it to the end for the safety assessment - clarified the scientific director of Spallanzani Giuseppe Ippolito -. The vaccine had no serious adverse events in the first 28 days after vaccinations, a better result than Moderna and Pfizer which had side effects. The peak of antibody production at 4 weeks remains constant and the vaccine is a single dose".
A vaccine that would be safe and with a "ability to induce immune response in adults and the response is similar to that of other two-dose vaccines". "92,5% of vaccinated had detectable antibody level - added Ippolito - and with a single dose we have results in line with Moderna and Pfizer ". Phase 3 is speculated to be closed by the summer. Now it will be up to the government, which has already prepared a program of resources necessary for the experimentation of the Italian vaccine. "The first results of the vaccine developed by Reithera and tested at the Spallanzani Institute are encouraging - notes the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza-. If the data obtained so far are confirmed, we will have in the coming months an effective and safe vaccine with a single dose instead of two doses. It will be produced entirely in our country. It is important to continue investing in Italian research and its scientific excellence ".
