Influenza vaccine rush, 3 million doses to 7 regions

The race for the procurement of flu vaccines for the next season 2021-22 campaign has begun.

In fact, seven Regions have already purchased 3 million doses through the Consip system, the single purchasing center of the Public Administration.

The goal is to guarantee the doses in time: the vaccination campaign, in fact, will start early from October, as foreseen by the Ministry of Health, also in order to immunize citizens to prevent flu symptoms from adding up and being confused with any symptoms from Covd, thus causing a burden on hospital facilities.

Therefore, seven Regions that to date have chosen Consip's "Drugs" Dynamic Purchase System (Sdapa) for the supply of influenza vaccines: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Molise and Sicily have already purchased about 3 million doses - recording an increase of + 50% compared to the number of doses requested through Sdapa in 2020 - for a total amount of over 45 million euros. An encouraging figure - notes Consip - which will allow the Regions to procure in advance and the supplier companies to plan production and distribution in time, guaranteeing the full satisfaction of the needs of each Region and ensuring the achievement of the coverage rates provided for by the Recommendations. of the Ministry ".Sdapa is the negotiation tool made available by Consip as part of the Purchasing Rationalization Program, which allows administrations to negotiate tenders in a totally electronic way. Purchases of flu vaccines can also be made autonomously by the Regions but the new system, notes Consip, "allows you to speed up competition times a lot". The Regions therefore try to play in advance so as not to be caught unprepared. The circular of the ministry 'Influenza prevention and control: recommendations for the 2021-2022 season' foresees in fact to anticipate the flu vaccination campaign, also in consideration of the epidemiological situation for the circulation of the SarsCov2 virus, starting precisely from October.

Similarly to last year, the document recommends vaccination in the 6 months-6 years age group, also in order to reduce the circulation of the flu virus between adults and the elderly. Furthermore, in order to facilitate the differential diagnosis with respect to Covid-19 in the age groups at higher risk of serious disease, vaccination is strongly recommended and can be offered free of charge in the age group 60-64 years.

"The other regions also appear to be moving towards the purchase of vaccines - says to ANSA Enrico Di Rosa, director of the public health service Asl Roma 1 and coordinator of the Operators College of the Italian Society of Hygiene, Preventive Medicine and Public Health ( SItI) -. This is important because it is essential to keep a high guard against the flu, which is a serious disease especially for some categories ". 2020 was an "exceptional year because Covid actually prevented the spread of the flu and this was mainly due to social distancing measures, the use of masks but also to a vaccination campaign that reached levels last year. coverage ever recorded ". However, the expert warns, "you have to be careful. The fact that last year the flu circulated little is positive, but this has increased the number of subjects who this year are susceptible to influenza viruses. "So," the invitation is to get vaccinated and our commitment will also be that to incentivize vaccination among young people, the main spreaders of viruses also with respect to the adult community, and the hope - concludes Di Rosa - is that if a third dose for the anti-Covid vaccine is decided, it can be administered together with the flu vaccine ".the invitation is to get vaccinated and our commitment will also be to encourage vaccination among young people, the main spreaders of the virus also with respect to the adult community, and the hope - concludes Di Rosa - is that if a third dose is decided for the anti vaccine -Covid, this can be administered together with the flu vaccine ".the invitation is to get vaccinated and our commitment will also be to encourage vaccination among young people, the main spreaders of the virus also with respect to the adult community, and the hope - concludes Di Rosa - is that if a third dose is decided for the anti vaccine -Covid, this can be administered together with the flu vaccine ".