Rezza: ‘Vaccine adhesion linked to risk perception’

“With Covid we have seen that older people have rushed to get vaccinated. And, as it should be, we have the highest coverage in the higher age groups. This shows us that the perception of risk is important. people get vaccinated, if it’s low they don’t “. This was stated by Gianni Rezza, general director of Prevention of the Ministry of Health, during ‘InnovaCtion, what is needed for ideas to become health, business, future’, promoted by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) in the Verona office, on the occasion of the 90th anniversary of presence in our country. In general, on vaccines for adults and the elderly, “Italy was a pioneer”. And our country “has a vast vaccination offer. We can say that our vaccination calendar is the most beautiful in Europe”. Now, “with the new ‘Vaccination Plan’ we are trying to take another step forward, with small adjustments”. Rezza recalled that on the economic level, compared to other sectors, “we spend quite little for vaccinations and we fear collateral effects that compared to those of drugs, certainly very important tools, are much less. Vaccines have a value that is not in the expense but even in earnings. If I spend on vaccines I earn in reduced hospitalizations, reduced use of medicines, often antibiotics that risk being harmful “, adds the general manager. There is no doubt, however, that there are national differences, “mainly for cultural rather than economic reasons. We have rich autonomous provinces that spend little on vaccines”, he concludes.