How to book bivalent vaccines for Covid-19

The vaccination campaign with bivalent vaccines against Covid-19 begins today, Monday 12 September. After the approval of the EMA on 1 September last and the subsequent ratification of the AIFA, in fact, the Regions, which have already received the first stocks, have opened reservations. In addition, another 19 million doses are on the way this month. Here is a guide on who can receive the vaccine and how to book it.

The bivalent vaccines, remember, are also called "updated" as they contain two strains of the coronavirus, namely the original one (which the monovalent vaccines, those of the first vaccination campaign) and the Omicron variant. Developed by Modena and Pfizer-BioNTech, both work with messenger rna technology, i.e. they contain rna molecules instructed to produce the spike protein belonging to both the original Sars-Cov-2 strain and the omicron variant. In this way, therefore, they can provide a broader defense than monovalent vaccines, which affected only the original strain. The updated vaccines, the President of the Higher Health Council Franco Locatelli reported, proved capable of “generating an antibody response against the Omicron Ba4 and 5 variants which are the prevalent ones. They represent 96% of all strains isolated in Italy so far ”.

But who can receive them? And how and when to book them? According to reports from the Ministry of Health, the updated vaccines are available free of charge for all over 12, but they are recommended as a priority to people at greater risk of developing a serious disease, the over 60s, those with risk factors and health personnel. To receive the vaccine, however, you must wait at least four months (120 days) from the first booster dose or from the last post-booster infection. "The bivalent formulation of the two vaccines is recommended as a matter of priority: to those who are still waiting to receive the second booster dose, based on the recommendations and timing already provided for the same, also including health workers, operators and guests of residential facilities for the elderly and pregnant women ”, reads the circular. In addition, it can be administered "to all subjects aged 12 years or older still waiting to receive the first booster dose, regardless of the vaccine used to complete the primary course, with the timing already set for the same".

To book the vaccination, therefore, just make an appointment by taking them to the regional sites or by contacting the call centers at the toll-free numbers, and you can choose whether to do it in the vaccination centers, in the pharmacy, or in the family doctors. For example, on the Piedmont Region website, which already has 336 thousand doses available, it is specified that those who work in the public health system will be taken care of directly by their own structure, while those who practice in the private system will be summoned to one of the vaccination centers after having carried out pre-accession on www.IlPiemontetivaccina.it from 19 September. "Also from Monday 19 September - we read - pregnant women who wish to receive the fourth dose will be able to go to direct access to a vaccination center in the area, after having downloaded the documentation for self-certification from the regional portal (it will be online from 19 September ) ". According to what is reported by ToscanaMediaNews, however, about 290 thousand doses have been delivered for the Tuscany Region and the regional portal for their booking will be open on 13 September, or you can contact your family doctor or participating pharmacies.

And again: the Lazio Region makes it known that access to administration can take place through pharmacies, family doctor or online booking through the regional platform at this link. For home vaccination requests, moreover, it is possible to contact the toll-free number 800118800. For Liguria, however, starting at 12 noon on Friday 9 September 2022 in the vaccination hubs of all the provinces and starting from Thursday 15 September 2022 in pharmacies it will be possible to book the fourth dose also for people aged 12 to 59 belonging to the "health personnel" or "pregnant" category. "Vaccination - reads the Region's website - will take place through the administration of bivalent mRna vaccines, updated against the Omicron BA.1 variant". In Abruzzo the distribution of doses began on 8 September, and about 100 thousand doses will be delivered, distributed in the storage centers of the ASL: 11520 in L'Aquila, 11520 in Avezzano, 11520 in Chieti, 8640 in Lanciano, 8640 in Vasto, 23040 in Pescara and 25920 in Teramo. "As usual - clarifies the region's Health Department - each ASL will autonomously organize the vaccination campaign, providing information to users on their respective company sites".