Health hazard scenarios in Italy after the COVID-19 outbreak: A methodological proposal

The health emergency (COVID-19) in Italy had a great impact mainly in the Northern part. The geographical and environmental similarities observed between this area and the Wuhan area in the Province of Hubei (China), led to the basic hypothesis of this paper, namely how the presence of atmospheric pollutants can generate stress on the health conditions of the population and thus determine the pre-conditions for the development of diseases of the respiratory system. The aim of the paper is to produce three different hazard scenarios in Italy using the AHP method (Spatial Analytical Hierarchy Process) and thirteen information levels grouped into classes respectively related to environmental, climatic and land management factors. © Società editrice il Mulino.

The recommended lifetime immunization schedule from the board of vaccination calendar for life in Italy: A continuing example of impact on public health policies.

The Vaccination Calendar for Life is an alliance of scientific and professional societies of public health physicians, paediatricians and general practitioners in Italy which provides a periodical update on the ideal, scientifically driven vaccination calendar throughout lifetime. Since 2012, the Lifetime Immunization Schedule has represented a benchmark for Regional and National Authorities to set up the updated list of vaccines provided actively and free of charge to infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly by inclusion in the Triennial National Vaccination Plan (TNVP), and in the Essential Levels of Care (LEA). The impact of the different editions of the Lifetime Immunization Schedule on the TNVP was deep, representing the inspiring source for the present vaccination policy. The 2019 edition called for more attention to pregnant women immunization; risk groups vaccination; uniform high coverage with the MMRV vaccine; extension of Meningococcal B vaccination also at adolescent age; use of quadrivalent conjugate meningococcal vaccine also at 1 year of life; progressive decrease of the age of free-of-charge offer of influenza to ≥ 60 and then to ≥ 50 year-old population; implementation of flu immunization ages 6 months-6 years; HPV vaccination also offered to 25-year old women at the time of the first screening (gender neutral immunization already offered); sequential PCV13-PPV23 pneumococcal vaccination in 65 year-old subjects; increased coverage with rotavirus vaccine in infants and zoster vaccine in the elderly.

Maintain and increase vaccination coverage in children, adolescents, adults and elderly people: Let's avoid adding epidemics to the pandemic: Appeal from the Board of the Vaccination Calendar for Life in Italy: Maintain and increase coverage also by re-organizing vaccination services and reassuring the population.

The Board of the Vaccination Calendar for Life (Bonanni et al., 2014, 2017) [1,2]), a coalition of four major scientific and professional societies of public health physicians, pediatricians and general practitioners in Italy, made an appeal to health authorities in order to sustain vaccination in COVID-19 times. The five pillars to maintain and increase vaccination coverage at all ages are described as follows: 1) Guarantee paediatric vaccination coverage to all newborns and paediatric boosters and adolescent immunizations, not interrupting active calls and scheduled sessions. 2) Re-organise the way paediatric and adolescent vaccinations are offered. 3) Set-up recovery programs for vaccinations not carried out after the start of the COVID-19 emergency. 4) Provide the preparation of tenders for the supply of flu vaccines with suitable quantities to increase coverage in all Regions and Autonomous Provinces with extreme urgency. 5) Prepare plans to increase coverage for influenza, pneumococcal, tetanus diphtheria and shingles. The Board of the Calendar for Life appeals to the National and Local Health Authorities for a strong and coordinated commitment in favor of the widest offer and acceptance of vaccinations, whose vital importance for collective health is now even more evident to all, in order to avoid that delays in the necessary initiatives should add damage from other epidemics to those suffered by our population due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Geographical analyses of Covid-19's spreading contagion in the challenge of global health risks The role of urban and regional planning for risk containment

This research develops from a set of basic geographical questions about the outbreak of Covid-19 out of China in Europe. The questions dealt with why and why with such strength Italy has been seriously hit, one of the most important cases in terms of death toll out of Hubei Province and mainland China, in the world, making the country a worldwide study case for epidemic concentration and diffusion. Questions were also related to geographical similarities among the areas hit, and particularly the Po Valley region and Wuhan metropolitan region in Hubei province, and also related to why such a divide of the virus spreading was identified in Italy between Northern and Central and Southern regions and provinces. In order to try to give an answer these questions, authors realized a vast and articulated database of indicators at provincial level in Italy, performing several geographical analyses - ecological approach - based on Spatial autocorrelation and Geographical Weighted Regression, coming to the conclusion that aspects such as land take, pollution can seriously influence the phenomenon and justify a pattern as that observable in Italy. The analyses and observation of the phenomenon also suggests that policies based on urban regeneration, sustainable mobility, green infrastructures, ecosystem services can create a more sustainable scenario able to support the quality of public health.