On Monday, Italy began administering third doses of COVID-19 vaccines to people considered clinically vulnerable, such as the immunocompromised and transplant recipients.
The third dose of a Covid-19 vaccine has begun to be administered in Italy, following approval from the country’s Medicines Agency (AIFA).
According to Xinhua, the Health Ministry announced earlier this month that third doses of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines will be provided to people with compromised immune systems.
This includes not only immunocompromised individuals, but also the elderly and residents of nursing homes.
Healthcare workers will also receive the booster shot, according to AIFA guidelines.
Because vaccination against coronavirus is strongly recommended but not mandatory in Italy, the third dose will be made available as an option.
For immunocompromised people, AIFA recommends that the third dose be available at least 28 days after the previous dose.
The third dose would be considered a “booster to maintain an effective immune response” for those over the age of 80, people living in care homes, and healthcare professionals, and should be administered at least 6 months after their last dose.
Overall, AIFA and the Health Ministry have emphasised that ensuring that the majority of the population is vaccinated should remain a national priority.
Italy has recorded 4,638,516 confirmed coronavirus cases since the pandemic began in February 2020, with 130,354 fatalities and 4.4 million recoveries.
