The change of indications for AstraZeneca – according to the provision of the Ministry of Health to be administered only to over 60s – makes its effects felt on the mass vaccination campaign. If in the long run the problem will be to have sufficient anti-Covid Pfizer and Moderna stocks to ensure the second dose to the over 60s already vaccinated with the serum of the Anglo-Swedish company (in addition to having to overcome the mistrust of the vaccine mix), in the immediate reconversion of the regional plans and the consequent chaos slow down the speed of the inoculated doses: -17.6% in the weekend of 12 and 13 June compared to the previous Saturday and Sunday (5 and 6 June).
The slowdown
With the beginning of June, the vaccination campaign began to run at a rapid pace: on 4 June the quota of 625,802 doses administered was reached (the highest number reached so far) and a week later (11 June) the seven-day moving average recorded 600,000 injections daily. But the change (the fourth since the beginning of the year) of the recommendations relating to the use of AstraZeneca already seems to have repercussions: some Regions have suspended reservations for the under 60s with the vaccine developed in Oxford and canceled the open days, authorized in May by the Committee scientific technician. On Saturday 12 June the doses administered were 521,883, -12.6% compared to the previous day and -15% compared to the same day of the previous week. Deceleration also on Sunday: the 402,652 administrations of the day are a fifth less (-20.8%) compared to the previous Sunday (6 June). Overall, the weekend recorded a decline of 17.6%.
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The impact of AstraZeneca
Above all, the contribution of AstraZeneca was lacking (Lombardy has suspended the calls affected by the heterologous vaccination until June 16). About 26,300 doses were administered on Saturday 12 June, -60% compared to seven days earlier. Sunday 13 June just over 17 thousand AstraZeneca doses: -74% compared to Sunday 6 June. If the forecasts on arrivals until the end of the third quarter are confirmed, Italy risks finding millions of unusable doses of Astrazeneca in the refrigerators, to which those of the other Johnson & Johnson viral vector vaccine could be added should the CTS decide to to equate it with the vaccine of the Anglo-Swedish society (already now it is recommended for those aged 60 and over).
The stocks
AstraZeneca vaccines delivered to the Regions and not yet used are 1.1 million; those J&J are 601 thousand. In total 1.7 million doses. Vincenzo De Luca, president of Campania, announced the refusal of the heterologous vaccination (“those who have taken the first dose of Astrazeneca over the age of 60 can complete the cycle with a second dose of Astrazeneca”) and made it known that the Region will no longer administer doses of viral vector vaccine at any age group. At the moment Campania has 176 thousand of them.