Italy moved forward with a fourth dose of the anti-COVID-19 vaccine for people aged over 80 and for residents in nursing homes who received their first booster at least 120 days earlier. The rollout signals a continuation of the national effort to shield the most vulnerable from severe illness as new data on the virus continues to be monitored by health authorities.
Across many regions, including Lombardy in the north, which initially faced the spread, and Lazio with Rome as its capital, the new booster is set to be offered starting tomorrow. This expansion follows the national pattern of prioritizing those at greatest risk while still keeping broader eligibility under review as the situation evolves.
The Ministry of Health together with the Higher Health Institute and the Italian Medicines Agency have recommended the booster for individuals aged over 80, residents in nursing homes, and patients over 60 with certain underlying health conditions. The policy emphasizes mRNA vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna as the preferred options for this fourth dose, provided the individual has completed the previous two-dose series and the existing booster schedule.
In Lombardy, Milan’s regional hub, a special vaccination day was declared to facilitate access for eligible residents. On the designated day, residents could visit health centers in locations like Sesto San Giovanni without a prior appointment and receive the booster. Other regions, including Campania, the Naples area, and Molise in the south, were also set to begin the fourth-dose program, while Marche in the center planned to start registrations the following day.
Official figures show that a substantial number of people have already received the fourth dose as the program progresses, reflecting ongoing uptake among the target groups. At the same time, daily reports continue to track the larger picture of the virus spread, including confirmed infections and mortality, as health authorities assess the impact of the booster program and the evolving virus variants.
The broader context remains clear: vaccination plays a central role in reducing severe outcomes and hospitalizations. Health officials continue to encourage older adults, care home residents, and individuals with certain health risks to participate when eligible, while also maintaining surveillance for safety and effectiveness across different age groups and vaccine brands.