(ANSA) - ROME, FEB 6 - Almost 12 million people in Italy are without their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, independent health foundation GIMBE said Monday.
    Anti-COVID vaccinations in the elderly and frail people are "in free fall," said the GIMBE Foundation in its independent monitoring of the week from 27 January to 2 February.
    Even "the administration of the fourth doses (second booster) has been in free fall for months, has very low coverage rates particularly in the southern regions, and leaves 11.9 million people uncovered," noted the president of the foundation, Nino Cartabellotta.
    COVID infections were down 9.9% in the week in question on the previous week, GIMBE said.
    Hospitalizations were down 9% in general wards and 12.7% in ICUs, said the report.
    But deaths were 27.2% up.
    The number of swabs taken was down 2.2%, (ANSA).