The fourth wave scares Europe. The words pronounced yesterday, Thursday 4 November, by the WHO director for Europe, Hans Kluge, leave no room for doubt: “We are, again, the epicenter of the pandemic. The current rate of infections in the 53 countries of the European region is of great concern,” Kluge said, adding that a reliable projection suggests “another half million dead from Covid-19″ by February if the current trend continues.
MERIT OF VACCINES
Italy, this time, seems to be doing better than the others and the merit goes to the vaccination campaign. “Italy's numbers in this picture can be considered among the best. We have a growing incidence but by far lower than most other countries. However, the alarm must be considered with the utmost attention and requires us to insist on the fundamental ground, i.e. the vaccination campaign ", said the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, during the press conference on the pandemic and on the vaccination campaign held today together with General Figliuolo and the coordinator of the Cts, Franco Locatelli.
The data, on the other hand, speak for themselves. "We are 83,3% vaccinated with a complete cycle, about 45 million citizens - said Figliulo - Those who have done at least one dose are over 46 million equal to 86% to which we can add the 600 thousand recovered: this takes us to87,7% of people who have some coverage”. These are far higher percentages than those recorded in other European countries and therefore show that a high percentage of vaccinated citizens represents the best weapon against Covid-19. To give just one example: “we have 9% more vaccinated than in Germany”, highlighted Locatelli, who then added: “the risk of fatal pathology is different between vaccinated and non-vaccinated people. Data from the Higher Institute of Health say that up to the age of 59 none of the vaccinated have been in intensive care, in the 70-79 range the risk of hospitalization in intensive care is 21 times higher for the unvaccinated and for the over 80s of 8 times”.
It should also be taken into consideration that, soon, another weapon against the Covid-19 disease could arrive, the pill molnupiravir, only approved in the UK for now. “AIFA has already taken action to acquire an adequate quantity of the oral antiviral drug for Covid-19 molnupiravir, authorized in Great Britain. This is so that Italy too can have this weapon at its disposal”, announced Locatelli.
THE THIRD DOSE
The positive progress of the vaccination campaign must not make us let our guard down. The government is now betting on third doses, consider "the first and main ground on which to concentrate our energies: we must insist on the vaccine as a fundamental tool for managing this phase", said Speranza, adding that the third dose it is “strongly recommended for those over 60 who have completed the vaccination cycle 6 months ago and then for the frail, regardless of age, and for all those who have had a single dose of J&J. These are the indications at the moment”. “Starting next week – continued the Minister of Health – we will work for expand to further generations".
On the third dose, Figliuolo provided some logistical details: “Yesterday we exceeded the 110 third doses made. The daily peak of third doses of vaccine administered that we expect, we will have it between December and February. For 2022 we have already optioned doses for which we are able to carry out the third dose to all those who have completed any type of vaccination cycle, therefore also at high numbers. Of those doses there is a portion that will be made available to the Covax”. Locatelli instead underlined that the “third dose is safe and I myself received it without problems. We need to increase vaccination in those who haven't done it and it's important to undergo the third dose as protection ′′ for frail, elderly and medical personnel.
GREEN PASS AND RESTRICTIONS
Responding to a question about possible new closures and restrictions, the minister recalled that "We need to enforce the rules that already exist: in Italy at the moment there is the obligation to wear masks indoors and the obligation if there is a risk of assembly even outdoors. We are still in the epidemic phase and we have two fundamental weapons which are the vaccination campaign and respect for correct behavior ”, highlighted Speranza. Speaking about the green certification, the minister said: “the green pass is a decisive tool for epidemic control because it makes the places where it is used safer and has had an incentive effect for the vaccination campaign. So the government's intention is to continue using this decisive tool and no changes are on the agenda. Clear that the third dose produces an extension of the green pass: 12 months start from the third dose”. on state of emergency: “The government will decide in the days immediately preceding the deadline”.
VACCINE FOR CHILDREN
Regarding the possibility of vaccinating children between 5 and 12 years old, Locatelli recalled that the American FDA “has approved Pfizer's anti-Covid vaccine for children, in a one-third dose. There will also be an opportunity for protection offered to this age group, both to protect children from very rare forms, and to protect them from forms of long Covid, and to further reduce viral circulation". We therefore await the green light from Ema and Aifa, which could arrive in mid-December. Based on expectations, therefore, the administration of the Pfizer vaccine to children could start "before Christmas".
Locatelli also explained that “the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Sip have taken a favorable position on the vaccination of children. The 5-11 year study showed safety and efficacy as for the adolescent part, I therefore believe that the risk-benefit balance is in favor because possible myocarditis is higher as a probability following the Covid infection compared to vaccination ".
ITALIAN DATA
In Italy, at least for the moment, the trend of infections seems to be under control, despite the fact that there is an increase in Italy too. According to the numbers provided by the Control Room, the weekly incidence at national level is equal to 53 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants against 46 per 100 inhabitants last week. The average Rt calculated on symptomatic cases is equal to 1,15 (range 0,93 - 1,28), an increase compared to the previous week when it was 0,96. Despite the increase, all Regions remain blank, having an occupancy rate of intensive care units below 10% (at 4%) and of ordinary wards below 15% (at 5,3%). However, if the old parameters were still valid, 12 Regions and the 2 autonomous Provinces would already be in yellow and two Regions (Umbria and Puglia) in orange.
EUROPEAN DATA
In Europe, new patients in the last 7 days have increased by 6%, the highest figure globally. Europe is also the region with the highest rate of infection in the world, with 192 cases per 100 people (Italy, as mentioned, is at 53). Speaking of individual countries, the situation is worrying in Germany, where the Minister of Health, Jens Spahn, spoke of a "pandemic of the unvaccinated". According to data reported by the Robert Koch Institut, there were 24 new infections in the last 33.949 hours, 165 deaths. “If the pandemic situation worsens further in hospitals, the new restrictions are only possible for those who are not vaccinated,” Steffen Seibert, spokesman for the German government, has already anticipated. The situation is serious Bulgaria where the incidence is equal to 683 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, almost three times the EU average, and the mortality is equal to 202 deaths per million inhabitants, the second highest after Romania. The government has announced the suspension of all surgical operations and non-urgent hospitalizations, given that Covid patients now occupy 90% of the beds in intensive care. In Bulgaria, only 26,2% of the population has completed the vaccination cycle, the lowest percentage in Europe.
Contagions increased by 24% in Poland. In UK 24 new cases and 41.299 deaths have been recorded in the last 217 hours, the France has exceeded the threshold of 10 new cases (the government has extended the health pass until July), the Belgium is at 7.750 new cases, 36% more than the previous week. For comparison, yesterday in Italy 5.905 new cases and 59 deaths.
SPUTNIK, SINOVAC AND J&J
“We will give the green pass to those who have completed a non-EMA vaccination cycle and who will have a booster with Pfizer or Moderna within six months,” announced the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza. In fact, a circular from the Ministry of Health provides that subjects vaccinated with the Chinese Sinovac and the Russian Sputnik can receive a booster dose with Pfizer and Moderna starting from 28 days and up to a maximum of 6 months from the completion of the primary cycle. If, on the other hand, the six-month deadline has been exceeded, as well as in the event of failure to complete it, it is possible to proceed with a complete primary vaccination course with mRNA vaccine.
