“The obligation to wear a mask indoors is an exaggerated norm, we are one of the few countries in Europe to maintain it. It is absolutely right to keep the obligation on means of transport, but for other places, such as offices or cinemas, a recommendation. I remain of the view that it is time to get out of the obligation phase and move on to recommendations “. Matteo Bassetti, director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the San Martino Polyclinic in Genoa, underlines this to Adnkronos Salute, on a trip to Lisbon for the European congress of infectious diseases. “Although Portugal is a country very affected by Covid-19, but also among the most vaccinated in Europe – says Bassetti – here the mask is no longer mandatory, except on public transport and in hospitals”.
“This could also be done in Italy – he continues – keep the obligation in public transport, hospitals, RSA, pharmacies and get a recommendation in other places. Instead, they want to continue with this strategy of terror, which, however, I don’t know where it leads. You cannot go on forever with obligations, you have to get out of this logic that we entered two years ago: I continue to argue that very stringent recommendations should be given on the use of the mask. For example, elderly and frail people should continue to use it “.
On the possible scenarios that will open up after the expiration of the obligation to wear masks indoors from May (the devices should continue to be worn on means of transport, cinemas and offices), Bassetti observes: “The biggest mistake that has been made is give false security to people by saying that with the mask you are protected from everything and you save your life. Now it is difficult for the government to go back, after 2 years of saying that the only tool is the mask. Instead today, thanks to vaccines, we should take a step back and say ‘the mask is used by those people who cannot do without it because we are not sure that the vaccine protects them adequately, the others decide according to the places and the situation’. it would be a mature way for a government that truly trusts vaccines to act. Continuing on this push and pull of the obligation only ends up debasing the mask and not giving adequate importance to vaccines “.
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