• Vaccines.

    Aifa: "In Italy 27 serious events every 100 thousand doses"

  • Vaccini, Magrini (Aifa): "In the summer we will have 30 million doses per month"

  • Son to the presidents of the Region: "First vaccines for over 60 and fragile. Enough controversy"

  • ReiThera: for phase 3 vaccine we are looking for other funding

  • Ema: Pfizer vaccine can be stored in the fridge for up to 31 days at 2-8 degrees centigrade

Share

May 18, 2021 Anti-Covid vaccines in m-Rna today at the center of the work of the 12th Senate Hygiene and Health Commission gathered to audit the leaders of Aifa, the Italian drug agency: the director Nicola Magrini and the president Giorgio Palù.



Magrini: "Postponing the second dose does not cause damage"

The recalls of both m-Rna vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna "can be delayed. By modifying the obligation of the second dose to 21 or 28 days, who knows what harm is not created. Quite the contrary." This was clarified by the director general of the Italian drug agency (Aifa), Nicola Magrini, answering the questions at the hearing before the Hygiene and Health Commission of the Senate. "We are also beginning to see the very positive effects of this vaccination in Italy - he added - the vaccine mistrust data must be considered very carefully and politely, without arrogance, but vaccines are proving to be a great opportunity".



"Recently there has been some discussion about the possibility of delaying the second dose of anti-Covid vaccines in order to expose the population more to a first dose of the vaccine, and Aifa reported that the indication of 21- 28 days for Pfizer and Moderna as certified data, but that the studied population reached up to 42 days and therefore a use of this type could be considered approved and on label, which was preferred and chosen as an acceptable and preferable mode of administration ". 



"The decision to postpone AstraZeneca to 12 weeks instead - added Magrini - came from good quality English studies that showed a better response by delaying the administration of the second dose compared to the initial four weeks of the studies".



Magrini: "Johnson & Johnson single dose"

The J&J vaccine is a single dose vaccine and remains so. The booster, as for the other vaccines, we will evaluate after 9-12 months, annually. In the coming winter we will evaluate for all vaccines, based on the circulation of the virus or if there will be variants ", the need for a new administration.



Magrini: "Everything done so far has depended on the available vaccines"

"In Italy an operation was carried out in which it was thought of 3 months in 3 months and what was done depended on the vaccines available, we knew that the vaccination campaign it would have become maximum only in June with the arrival of many doses ".



Palù: "Good coverage with 30 million doses administered"

"The vaccination coverage is going very well. We have reached almost 30 million doses administered and an average of inoculations exceeding 400 thousand doses per day".



Palù: "Universal vaccine is a dream"

"Having a unique and universal vaccine is the dream of all vaccinology, but it still does not exist. For the moment we must be satisfied with these vaccines. Those with m-Rna have a very high technology ductile that can incorporate all the circulating variants ".



Palù: "Second dose extended because it is effective"

Regarding the shift of the second dose of Pfizer and Moderna m-Rna vaccines "we have extended because at least four British studies have demonstrated the efficacy against the disease event but also the duration of the antibodies". In addition, "by moving the boosters forward, we had 3 million more doses to cover the most exposed 60-69 age group". "The recalls of m-Rna vaccines are


also

delayed

to 90 days".



"Aifa has decided to postpone the second dose of vaccine for both scientific reasons and practical needs". "At least four British studies show the efficacy of vaccines at these times, but also the presence of antibodies that neutralize the virus upon its entry", recalling that "in Israel Pfizer has also shown efficacy in preventing the disease in 90% of cases. ". "But for us in Italy this decision was also dictated by a practical reason. It was General Figliuolo, giving a consistent acceleration to the vaccination campaign, who pointed out that by moving the second dose of 2 or 3 weeks we would have had access to three million more doses to be used to cover the most exposed range, which is between 60 and 69 years ". 



"The numbers we see today, with less pressure on intensive care and medical areas, with an incidence dropped to 102 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants and even in some regions below 50 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, allow us to apply case tracking. symptomatic and try to 


block the chain of contagion ".



Magrini: "Campaign in Italy better than in other countries"

"I believe that the vaccination campaign in Italy is doing better than in many European countries in terms of overall acceptance. Even if there is the anti-vaccine movement, or of fear and suspicion of vaccinations, I believe it is in proportion in quantity. lower than other countries, where higher vaccination mistrust data are brought. Vaccines are a great opportunity, they are proving extraordinarily effective ".



Palù: "The antibodies last at least 8 months"

"The antibodies last at least 8 months. Then it is clear that they are decreasing, but it is not certain that they can last even longer". 



Palù: "M-Rna vaccines block the English variant, we still don't know about the Indian"

"We know that m-Rna vaccines are capable of producing antibodies capable of blocking the variants. Definitely the English one. The titer can be reduced from 2 to 10 times on the South African or Brazilian variant while we do not know the behavior of the comparisons of the variant. Indian. We will know soon. "