What the numbers say: A disproportionate number of elderly Italians received a second round of COVID-19 booster shots. Almost no one between 12-19 years of age took the second booster shot, while only 2.1% of people between 50 and 59 received the treatment. However, even in Italy's most boosted age cohort, second boosters were administered to under 50% of the population by April 2023.
Relevance:The availability and administration of COVID-19 vaccines differed across the world. Italy, which was badly hit by COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic, has high vaccine coverage compared to the U.S. The relatively low uptake of second booster shots in the country signals that the public's willingness to continue taking the vaccines is waning .
Brands that should care:The number of people who choose to continue receiving COVID-19 vaccines directly affects the sales of pharmaceutical firms that produce them, like Pfizer and Moderna. However, changing attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines and related medical treatments could have wider implications for the pharmaceutical industry as a whole.