Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Italy's vaccine rollout slammed for failing to help most vulnerable

by French Press Agency - AFP

ROME Apr 09, 2021 - 4:09 pm GMT+3
A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination center set up at the La Nuvola congress center in Rome, Italy, April 4, 2021. (EPA Photo)
A woman receives a COVID-19 vaccine at the vaccination center set up at the La Nuvola congress center in Rome, Italy, April 4, 2021. (EPA Photo)
by French Press Agency - AFP Apr 09, 2021 4:09 pm

Italy has failed to vaccinate its most vulnerable citizens, which cost thousands of lives, an expert said Friday after Prime Minister Mario Draghi criticized queue jumpers.

After being among the worst-hit countries by the pandemic last year, Italy began its vaccine campaign in late December, but failed to focus exclusively on the most at-risk groups – the elderly.

Had it stuck more rigidly to the "ideal" plan of vaccinating older people, Italy would have suffered 8,000 fewer coronavirus deaths, according to expert Matteo Villa.

Villa, a researcher from the ISPI think-tank in Milan, said 33,000 people have died since early January. With more targeted jabs, "it could have been 25,000," he said.

"An unbalanced strategy, the delays of the regions and vaccine cheats have brought us here," he said Friday.

At a news conference late Thursday, Draghi warned regional governments they must improve vaccine efforts if they want to see current restrictive measures lifted, and attacked those taking jabs who were not in priority groups.

"With what conscience are there people who jump the waiting list trying to get vaccinated first, knowing that this is how you expose to risk those over 75 or with some vulnerability and therefore, a real risk of dying?" he asked.

Government data shows Italy has administered a total of 12 million vaccinations to date, with 4.2 million to those aged 80 and above and only 1.26 million to those in their 70s.

Meanwhile, 3.1 million have gone to health workers, a million to educational professionals – and 2.4 million to a hazy category defined as "others."

The head of the national anti-mafia commission this week expressed concern over high rates of vaccinations in this "other" group in southern regions that have long struggled against mafia infiltration within the health care system and other public areas.

Nicola Morra ordered four regions – the three southernmost regions of Sicily, Calabria and Campania, and Valle D'Aosta in the north – to turn over vaccination data and explain how they prioritized jabs.

Draghi took office in February with a promise to step up the vaccination campaign, saying it was the only way out for Italy after more than a year of the pandemic that has devastated the economy and claimed almost 113,000 lives.

But vaccination efforts have lagged behind, partly due to supply shortages, and partly due to regions going their own way and failing to prioritize the most vulnerable.

In Tuscany, university professors and lawyers, including those in their 30s, got vaccinated before most of the elderly, while in Lombardy, the hardest-hit region, a faulty booking system created havoc last month.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Apr 09, 2021 6:05 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    covid-19 outbreak italy mario draghi
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    An amateur photographer Vincent Cornelissen captures a bean goose flying upside down. (Photo from Instagram @b0unce1971)

    It is showing off: Photographer captures goose flying upside down

    ANIMALS-ARCHIVES
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye's 1st domestic heavy-class attack helicopter starts engine

    heavy-class-attack-helicopter

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Surfing culture booms in Senegal's Dakar
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021