Domenico Arcuri, the government's special commissioner for the COVID-19 emergency, said Friday that Italy has received "at least 300,000 fewer doses" of the COVID-19 vaccine than it should have had by now.
He was commenting after Moderna said it would join Pfizer and Astrazeneca in supplying fewer doses of its vaccine to the EU than it had previously agreed.
"Moderna has just informed us that, for the week of February 9, it will deliver 132,000 of the 166,000 doses planned, 20% fewer," Arcuri said.
"Astonishment, concern and dismay are increasing.
"The forecast deliveries are rectified almost every day".
The commissioner said that one in 23 Italians have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic.
He said that the "contagion curve remains in a non-explosive sphere" thanks to coronavirus-containment measures.
He also revealed that the government aims to intensify research in order to have a home-grown vaccine.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
