Italian Prime Minister Draghi and Spouse Receive AZ Vaccine Injection

▲Mario Draghi, Prime Minister of Italy (right rear), is having a conversation with his wife Maria Serenella after receiving the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine on the 30th. [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Mario Draghi (74), the Prime Minister of Italy, and his wife received the AstraZeneca (AZ) vaccine on the 30th (local time), according to major foreign media reports.

According to reports, Prime Minister Draghi and his wife received their first dose of the AZ vaccine at a vaccination center set up at Termini Station in Rome, the capital, on the morning of the same day.

The couple is known to have waited for the opportunity to be vaccinated according to government guidelines, which provide vaccination chances based on age groups.

Earlier, on the 19th, Prime Minister Draghi publicly announced the policy of receiving the AZ vaccine at a press conference. This was intended to dispel public concerns about the safety of the AZ vaccine.

Local health authorities temporarily suspended nationwide vaccinations on the 15th as a preventive measure after cases of sudden death following AZ vaccination and reports of thrombosis in other European countries emerged. Vaccinations resumed on the 19th after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced that the vaccine is "safe and effective."

Since Italy began COVID-19 vaccinations on December 27 last year, as of the 30th, approximately 9.658 million doses (1 dose = 1 vaccination) have been administered. The number of people who have completed the second dose is about 3.037 million, which is approximately 5.04% of the total population (about 60 million).

Meanwhile, as of the 29th, Italy's cumulative COVID-19 confirmed cases were 3,544,957, and the death toll was 108,350, respectively.

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