The COVID-19 vaccination campaign at the Policlinico Umberto I started on December 28. Rectress Antonella Polimeni, the Deans of the Faculties of Medicine and Dentistry, Domenico Alvaro, Pharmacy and Medicine, Carlo Della Rocca, and the Medical Director of the Umberto I General Hospital Alberto Deales opened the Vaccine Day. The Director of the General Hospital's Pharmacy, Enrica Maria Proli, collected the first 10 vials of the Pfizer anti-COVID vaccine, equivalent to 50 doses,  at 7.30 am at the Spallanzani Hospital. The vials were then brought to the Policlinico Umberto I by an equipped vehicle. The vaccine administration has been carried out at the Centro unico dei prelievi (Cupa), with 5 dedicated vaccination stations, open 7 days a week for 12 hours a day, with a potential administration of more than 2000 vaccinations per week.  The General Management of the Umberto I Hospital collected more than 10,000 subscriptions before Christmas among the Umberto I General Hospital's health workers, residents, and students of medical faculties.

The first to be vaccinated at the Policlinico Umberto I are the most exposed workers: 20 nurses, 10 doctors and residents from the COVID departments, radiology technicians and social workers.

"This is just the first step in a vaccination campaign in which we believe a great deal and for which we have prepared ourselves, through awareness-raising activities and by promoting preventive vaccine adherence to ensure that the distribution machine is efficient," says the Rectress. "I, too, will take the vaccine, following the indications and order of priority that have been established, by the end of the year, bearing concrete witness to how indispensable it is for everyone to do their part".

Sapienza University and the Policlinico Umberto I General Hospital immediately started the vaccination programme, providing an online platform where students, residents, research fellows and PhD students could also register to receive doses of vaccine, so as to give healthcare personnel the right protection to continue the fight against the virus. In just 48 hours, 90% of those surveyed responded positively.