The mayor of Paulilatino, Domenico Gallus, will take off his mayoral sash for a few hours and don a lab coat to administer flu vaccines.
A dermatologist by profession, during this emergency, he is once again ready to step into the field to protect the most vulnerable segments of the population, those who would otherwise risk going unvaccinated or having to travel several kilometers to get the vaccine. In the village of Guilcier, in fact, almost the entire population currently lacks a general practitioner, a person who could ensure vaccination. However, the last one in service retired at the end of October, and his colleague, who passed away prematurely three years ago, has never been replaced. Paulilatino is therefore one of those towns where, at present, there is not even a single family doctor available.
Now, while we wait to see if anyone will respond to the call for applications published by the Local Health Authority (ASL) to fill the vacant position, the Ascot clinic was opened a few days ago and, at least for the past few weeks, has been open for four days, including Saturday afternoons. However, since it's not known whether the doctors who staff the clinic will be among those who will offer vaccinations (which is voluntary and involves additional paperwork), there was a risk of leaving residents unattended .
Hence the mayor's idea: open a reservation list at the City Hall and, once approved by the local health authority (ASL), offer their availability (as they had already done during the Covid period) to vaccinate free of charge those citizens who fall within the designated vaccination groups and who wish to be vaccinated, including those over 60 and patients with underlying health conditions. So on Tuesday, Gallus took to social media to send a message to the public, encouraging them to book their vaccination. It was a success, so much so that 150 applications arrived at the City Hall in less than 24 hours.
"Having already vaccinated during the Covid period, I can administer vaccines, and therefore, given this emergency situation, I have made myself available," explains the mayor. "I believe it is important to provide this type of protection, especially for the most vulnerable patients. By the end of the month, I expect to have completed the administration of flu vaccines. However, I will not be alone in this task. The councilors and barracelli will be there to help me, for example, by camping out at the location that will be identified to vaccinate those who have difficulty getting around. For bedridden people, we will guarantee home vaccination."
The City Council is still accepting applications. The goal is to act quickly to ensure flu coverage by the end of November. The vaccination site will also be identified in the coming days.