Deputy Health Minister Pierpaolo
Sileri has said that the government has had to revise its
COVID-19 vaccination plan due to a reduction in supplies from
Pfizer, adding that it is currently focusing on making sure
people who have had their first dose get their second in time.
Sileri said almost 1.38 million vaccine doses had been
administered in Italy, 74.4% of the total delivered so far, and
100,863 people have had their second doses.
"The available doses will be primarily used to make sure people
who have had the first get the second one in time," he said.
The deputy minister has said that the move by Pfizer and the
announcement by AstraZeneca that it will not provide as much of
its vaccine as it had pledged when it is approved by the EU will
mean over-80s will be vaccinated four weeks later than
previously planned.
He said the delay will be of six to eight weeks for the rest of
the population.
Premier Giuseppe Conte confirmed at the weekend that his
government intends to take legal action over the pharmaceutical
companies' failure to meet their vaccine pledges.
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