Italy lower vaccination target and Basilicata scrap bookings

Queues in Matera for the vaccination

  ROME - In response to the much delayed and decreased delivery of the vaccine around Italy, the government have announced their decision to change their vaccination target from 500,000 doses a day to 315,000.

  Though they hope that 45 million doses will be available by July, there are still many areas suffering from shortages, with over three million over 80s still waiting for their second dose.

  Only 69 percent of school staff have received the first jab, with fears that 30 percent of staff will be left waiting as the vaccination plan changes and different groups are prioritised.

  Many still criticise the inconsistency of the vaccination campaign throughout the country, with each region following their own plan - Lazio vaccinating over 60s while Lombardy still looks to vaccinate over 70s.

  Basilicata, meanwhile, has opened up the doors of their vaccination centres to 60 to 79 year olds without a booking, creating huge queues in the cities of Matera and Potenza. However, this new approach has received much praise for the number of people they are managing to vaccinate, especially compared to the failures of the booking system, which was continuously crashing. 

  However many have also noted the huge crowds outside the vaccination centres brought on by the rush of those keen to be vaccinated.

  Meanwhile India has given the green light to the controversial Russian Sputnik vaccine, and the U.S. has suspended the use of the Johnson&Johnson vaccine after six severe adverse reactions were reported.

 

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