With the arrival of the new Circular on anti-Covid vaccines, the administration of antidotes updated on the Kraken variant but also effective against the others in circulation will also start next week. And based on the new indications provided by the Ministry of Health, the over 9 million doses will be administered as a priority to those over 60 and frail who will be able to do so 6 months after the last dose received or from any Sars-Cov infection. 19. The coverage of the booster shot is 12 months, so the vaccine must be repeated from year to year, like the flu shot which can be administered at the same time. Anti-Covid vaccines will continue to be free for everyone, even for those who do not fall into the categories for which it is recommended. Even if the latter will have to line up to get it. Once the hubs are closed, to obtain a dose you will be able to go to pharmacies or the offices of family doctors and paediatricians who have joined the vaccination campaign. From the first signs of low bookings, it does not appear that the new campaign is reawakening what experts have defined as “vaccination fatigue”.
The circular from the Ministry of Health establishes that a booster dose with updated vaccines will be “actively” offered to the categories identified in Annex 2 of the circular. Among these, we remember: people over 60; frail aged between 6 months and 59 years; guests of long-term care facilities; women who are in any trimester of pregnancy or in the “postpartum” period including breastfeeding women; health and social care workers responsible for providing assistance in hospitals, in the local area and in long-term care facilities; medical students, health professions students carrying out internships in healthcare facilities and all healthcare and socio-healthcare personnel in training.
But the new vaccines will not be addressed only to them, they will in fact be able to request them, but only “subject to availability of doses”, even to those who do not fall into the categories mentioned in the annex. The recall is normally valid for 12 months.
The booster dose with the updated Pfizer vaccine, in order to maximize protection for the autumn/winter 2023-2024 season, is recommended 6 months after the last dose of anti-Covid vaccine received or the last infection (date of positive diagnostic test), regardless of the number of previous events (doses received or diagnosis of infection). If vaccination is necessary before 6 months for clinical or other reasons, there must be a distance of at least 3 months from the most recent anti-Covid vaccine dose. The circular also underlines that a recent Sars-CoV-2 infection does not represent a contraindication to vaccination.
The use of a dose of the updated Pfizer vaccine is also expected for those who have never been vaccinated (primary cycle). For children aged 6 months to 4 years inclusive who have not completed a primary course of anti-Covid vaccination or without a history of previous Sars-CoV-2 infection. The primary cycle for those who have never had the vaccination involves 3 doses (of which the second 3 weeks after the first and the third 8 weeks after the second).
Finally, the circular highlights how it is possible to co-administer the new updated vaccines with other vaccines (with particular reference to the influenza vaccine), without prejudice to any specific indications for use or clinical evaluations.
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