Italy launches 2026-2027 influenza and Covid-19 vaccination campaigns

Regional health authorities across Italy have initiated the 2026-2027 vaccination campaigns for influenza and Covid-19. The campaigns aim to protect high-risk groups, including individuals over 60, pregnant women, children aged 6 months to 6 years, and people with chronic illnesses.

In Emilia-Romagna, the campaign includes 1.03 million influenza doses and 150,000 updated Covid-19 doses targeting the XFG variant. Similarly, the Marche region is deploying 375,100 doses, with a new recommendation for enhanced vaccines for those aged 60 to 64. Other regional rollouts are underway in Veneto, where pharmacies will also offer vaccinations for pneumococcus and diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, and in Agrigento and L'Aquila.

The Ministry of Health has highlighted the necessity of updated Covid-19 vaccines, such as Comirnaty XFG, to address continuous genomic variations in the Sars-CoV-2 virus. Vaccination services are being distributed through general practitioners, local health units (ASL), and participating pharmacies to increase accessibility and reduce the burden on hospital emergency departments.