Italians immunized against Covid are preparing to cross the milestone of 20 million – over a third of the total population. The latest issue of the structure of Commissioner Francesco Figliuolo indicates in mid-afternoon 19,960,078 people with both doses taken (or the single dose). From Palazzo Chigi they let it be known that the campaign “proceeds regularly according to plan”.
The Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, however, calls for caution: “we must not – he warns – absolutely consider this challenge won, the game is still to be played and the epidemic is not over”.
The daily bulletin reports 12 victims and 808 positive in the last 24 hours, numbers down compared to the 22 dead and 932 infected the previous day. The decline in intensive care admissions also continues, falling below 200 (197). And there are five – plus the Province of Bolzano – regions without any resuscitation patients for Covid (Umbria, Basilicata, Molise, Valle d’Aosta and Friuli Venezia Giulia). The positivity rate is 0.57%, up slightly from 0.4% yesterday. Data that continue to remain encouraging, therefore. On the same day in 2021, 21 victims and 235 infected were registered.
«Our country – observes Speranza – is going through a different phase, the vaccination campaign continues in a positive way and this data has had a very strong consequence. The situation has changed positively ”; but, he stresses, “maximum attention is also needed in the light of the presence of new variants that do not make us rest assured”.
Of particular concern is the Delta, more infectious than the currently prevalent English variant. “If summer will be a free den for everyone like last year, coupled with the slowdown of the vaccination campaign and an expansion of the Delta – is the warning of the virologist Carlo Federico Perno, director of the Microbiology Unit of the Bambino Gesù Hospital in Rome – I expect that in the autumn we will have a resurgence of infection ».
With regard to vaccines, the minister stresses that “more than 500 thousand doses continue to be administered per day”. Overall, 53,385,493 administered doses, compared to 59,622,714 delivered doses (89.5%). Among the vulnerable groups, 2.87% of the over 90s, 6.7% of the 80-89 years, 12% of the 70-79, 17.79% of those between 60 and 69 years. This is about 2 and a half million people. In the very young group, between 12 and 16 years, the immunized are 136 thousand (2.94%), while those who have taken the first dose are 746.702 (16.14%). Precisely these two categories (under 18 and over 60) are aimed at reaching the reopening of schools and autumn in safety. Several Regions are grappling with the postponement of reservations, taking into account the stop of Astrazeneca and Johnson & Johnson for the under 60s and a 5% drop in supplies for the month of July of messenger RNA vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna). In Puglia to postpone the appointment with the injection will be only the under 30s and not the over 50s as initially communicated, after learning that Moderna will deliver to the Region, until August 15, just over 50 thousand doses more than on the initial floor. In Lazio, the lack of about 100 thousand doses of Pfizer has led to the stop of bookings for the over 17s and the postponement of the campaign for children between 12 and 16 years old.
However, as General Figliuolo has repeatedly stated, the conclusion of the campaign by September and the achievement of herd immunity, with coverage of 80% of the vaccinable population, is not in question.