Italian Doctor Tests Positive for COVID-19 Six Days After First Pfizer Vaccine Dose

Health Authorities Conduct Epidemiological Investigation to Determine Infection Timing
Vaccination Principle: Two Doses at 3-Week Interval

Healthcare workers in Italy are receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-ju] An Italian doctor tested positive for COVID-19 six days after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

On the 3rd (local time), local media such as Il Messaggero reported that Antonella Franco, a doctor working at Umberto I Hospital in Syracuse, Sicily, tested positive for COVID-19 on the 2nd.

The doctor received the first dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine on the 28th of last month in Palermo, the capital of Sicily.

The health authorities are conducting a detailed epidemiological investigation to determine when she was infected.

Since she took a bus with medical staff when traveling from Syracuse to Palermo, there is a possibility of additional infections among the medical staff.

However, health authorities explained that even if infection occurred after vaccination, there is no reason to doubt the vaccine's efficacy. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine requires two doses at a three-week interval to achieve over 95% preventive effect.

The doctor stated that she does not intend to give up on vaccination.

She said, "I will get vaccinated again," and added, "I want to remind everyone that the vaccine is the only chance to win the battle against the virus."

Meanwhile, like other European Union (EU) member countries, Italy began Pfizer-BioNTech vaccinations mainly for healthcare workers from the 27th of last month, and about 100,000 people had been vaccinated by the 3rd.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.