AIFA gives green light to "second booster" for over-80s after approval from EMA.

Italy has begun offering a fourth dose of the covid vaccine to the over-80s, residents of nursing homes and those aged over 60 who are considered most at risk from the virus.

Italy's medicines agency AIFA gave the green light to the "second booster" for the over-80s and those between 60 and 79 who are deemed vulnerable, provided it has been at least 120 days since their last dose.

The move comes a week after the European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommended a fourth dose for the over-80s but said it was "too early" to consider using a fourth dose in the general population.

• Italy begins to ease covid rules from 1 April

In an interview in February with La Repubblica newspaper, health minister Roberto Speranza said that a fourth covid vaccine dose for everyone after the summer was "to be considered likely".For official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy (in English) see the health ministry website.

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