After the organizational delays of the first days, the administration of the Covid vaccine in Italy it seems to proceed at a faster pace. As of January 6, there are over 270,000 vaccinated. Our country currently receives about 470 thousand doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech drug every week, the only one approved so far by the European Union. After the first 9,750 of V-Day, another 469,950 were delivered between December 30th and January 1st. And now the new delivery is expected. In Piedmont the first to be vaccinated on the “symbolic” day of December 27 was the prof. Giovanni Di Perri, Head of Infectious Diseases of the Amedeo di Savoia hospital in Turin. It was he, at dawn, who received the box with the vials for his hospital: “The first sensation was almost material … or of responsibility for what I had in my hands”, he says, “And immediately after I became aware than the vaccine can finally mean as the beginning of the definitive turning point. After months of containment work, we can now produce a screen against the circulation of the virus, and we can add it to behavioral prevention and care for the sick in the fight against Covid ».
Symbolically, what did it mean for you to be the first vaccinated in Piedmont?
“A privilege above all; I am 62 years old and if the infection hits me I still have a limited risk of developing severe forms of COVID-19 and maybe something worse. I have seen many patients who are younger than me leave… Furthermore, I have felt the responsibility to present my beliefs about the quality of the vaccine to those who might still be reluctant to accept it. If anyone is convinced, I am extremely happy. What is currently at stake for the whole world is too important not to make use of what is currently the only solution, although I hope that in the near future also effective drugs for those who fall ill will be made available ».
No fear?
“Absolutely not, I have received all kinds of vaccinations in my professional life (I have worked in Africa and Southeast Asia) and it never occurred to me that a vaccine could harm me.”
Has none of your team pulled back so far? “
“No, none of my doctors and nurses. I know of some refusals elsewhere, but the idea I got is that the desire to access the anti-COVID-19 vaccination was proportional to the gravity of the scenarios that each of us has seen and still sees ».
Less than a year has passed from patient 1 of Codogno to today, what effect does it have?
“The idea is that the human genius is capable of extraordinary results when left to work. What has been put to good use in the case of this vaccine, albeit made in a short time, also comes from years of previous research both on vaccine technology and on the molecular virology of Coronaviruses».
You have also made a video, for the Asl Città di Torino, in which you explain in detail how the Pfizer vaccine works. How do you define it?
«It is a video that my general manager, Dr. Carlo Picco, wanted to make to present to all the Turin healthcare professionals the opportunity that was about to be realized. I thank him twice, first of all for having had the idea, and therefore for having chosen myself for the presentation. In the video I tried to explain how this vaccine has the characteristics to determine success in terms of individual and collective protection, of how it is structurally simpler and more harmless than the vaccines of the past, and I tried to point out that it is a an opportunity that in no way could we afford to overlook, given the planetary gravity of the problem and considering how other solutions are not available at the moment. I wanted to show the published results on the clinical study that led to the approval of the vaccine, in the belief that the enthusiasm and complete scientific persuasion they aroused in me could also be passed on to others “.
The ISS has just published a document against fake news and deniers, what do you feel like saying to all those who are still hesitant?
“For the hesitant I believe that it is a question of acquiring the best scientific information possible, of understanding the goodness of the results described so far and of considering that at the moment there is no option B. For real no-vaxes I don’t think there is much to to do, in this case it is not a question of an opinion or a rational belief, but of an affiliation, like being a fan of a football team, so to speak ».
How do you see the near future?
“A great job, in the clinic, trying to put to good use what we have learned in the medical management of the disease, in prevention, hoping that we are all convinced of the need to curb the infection and how to do it (regardless of the restrictions indicated by the government ) and therefore at an organizational level, trying to speed up the distribution and administration of the vaccine, trying to make everyone safe, but in particular those who are most at risk of becoming seriously ill. When we have covered the most vulnerable with vaccination (mature age and the presence of concomitant diseases, cardiovascular and metabolic in particular), the rest of the journey will be less laborious ».
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
