Italy to allow combination vaccines for those who received the first dose of AstraZeneca

Italy joins the initiative followed by some of its European neighbors to allow those who have been vaccinated with the AstraZeneca at first dose receives Pfizer or Moderna for full immunization.

The measure, adopted by the Italian Medicines Agency (AIFA), comes after ban the use of the Anglo-Swedish serum for those under 60 years of age after a case of fatal thrombosis.

“The so-called ‘vaccine crossover’ is something Germany has been doing for two months, and France and Spain have been doing it for a long time as well. It is a procedure that has given good results, these are not inventions, but scientific evidence and studies “, said the Minister of Health on Tuesday, Roberto Speranza, in an interview with the newspaper The imprint.

His ministry said last Friday that the AstraZeneca vaccine would be used. only in those over 60 and those under that age who had received the first dose of the Anglo-Swedish drug would be injected with another compound, after the death of an 18-year-old girl by cerebral thrombosis.

The pharmacologist Guido Rasi, former director of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and advisor to the extraordinary commissioner for the pandemic, General Francesco Figliuolo, assured that not only is it not dangerous, but, in fact, “it can be beneficial, as the immune system is likely to respond better to larger and more diverse stimuli”.

Last April, after the appearance of a few cases of thrombi among those vaccinated with AstraZeneca, including several fatalities, Italy announced that it would prioritize the injection of this test in the over 60 years, although this “recommendation” was not followed by the majority.

In recent weeks, many parts of the country have turned a deaf ear to this indication and have organized Open days for young people to apply the AstraZeneca vaccine, of which nearly 9 of the 45 million injected nationwide have been administered.

(With information from EFE)

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