The absence of restrictions weighs on the daily number of infections, but the Government is not thinking of a plan B. Sileri, Undersecretary of Health: “The green pass will be the last thing to be eliminated”
In UK has received two doses of vaccine 79% of the over 12 population, in Italy just over 81%.
But the two countries are living completely different pandemic situations: in the UK there are 150 thousand new cases a day (with 180 deaths), compared to 3-4 thousand in our country (70 deaths).
Health Minister Roberto Speranza stressed that the British data show us that “there is a need to maintain a level of prudence, of gradualness, it is a reminder to all other countries”. “Italy is at the moment one of the countries at European and world level with the highest vaccination rate and we must insist because every more vaccine we have is a slightly stronger shield to face the coming months – he said. Hope -. Then there is the theme of measures, starting with the use of masks in closed places or where there are gatherings, which I believe should be preserved “.
In Great Britain the restrictions against Covid (masks included) were dismantled on July 19: the choice was to live with the virus, thanks to having vaccinated a large part of the population. But the British vaccination campaign, although it started earlier than in other countries (apart from Israel), has slowed down: the second dose was delayed from the schedule to immunize as many people as possible with the first. Today, the administration of boosters (third dose) is slow, as well as coverage under 18s. We know that the defense provided by vaccines begins to decline six months after the injection.
“The factors that determine an unfavorable situation in Great Britain are different – he says Fabrizio Pregliasco, professor at the University of Milan and health director of the Galeazzi Orthopedic Institute -, starting with the spread of the AY.4.2 variant, which seems to be 10% more transmissible than the Delta. Secondly the temerity of reopening, which resulted in an accumulation of human contacts. In the end the slowdowns in the vaccination campaign, with the postponement of the second doses.
The pandemic has taught us to be flexible: decisions must be made on the basis of the current situation. Now, in Italy, we must proceed with what has been established (third dose, in order of priority, immunocompromised, over 80, residents of the Rsa, health personnel, over 60 and frail people of all ages, ed), but keeping us ready to plan a possible enlargement of the audience that can receive the call. I believe that this winter will be the last battle of this war, at least as regards the countries that are vaccinating quickly ».
So optimism, yes, but without false hopes. “The trend of the pandemic resembles that of the waves created by a stone thrown into a pond – explains Pregliasco -: I believe that in Italy we will have to expect a blow from the tail of the virus, thanks to the cold season. Months in which we will also have to deal with the flu, which has already shown itself, while last year it was crushed by anti-Covid measures. The numbers of positive cases we see today in our country are in my opinion underestimated: sample swabs are no longer made in the population, most of the tests are used to obtain temporary green passes. Better than nothing, but we still risk having a distorted data. Great Britain is in a critical situation, but the virus is also circulating in a sustained manner by us. The school is rightly done in the presence, as most of the workers will return to the office. I hope the numbers will stay lower than what we see today in GB, but however, we must be ready for a worsening of the situation“.
The importance of individual behaviors was also emphasized by Gianni Rezza, Director General of Prevention at the Ministry of Health: “Sars-Cov-2 may still give small waves or outbreaks here and there, but if we continue to be prudent in our behavior and continue the vaccination campaign, we can continue to live almost normally”. Vaccination is essential, but it is not enough. This is demonstrated, Rezza underlined, by what is happening in countries “such as Israel and Great Britain, in which there are high incidences of infections: we must also continue to respect the spacing rules and keep the masks indoors“. In short, “the challenge against Covid is still open”, underlined Minister Speranza and Prime Minister Draghi, speaking to the Chamber, said that it is necessary to move with “gradualness”.
Net the opinion of Pierpaolo Sileri, Undersecretary of Health: the increase in cases in Great Britain «must arouse attention, but we have the green pass, we still have rules for the use of protective devices. When 500-600 thousand swabs are made to obtain the green pass, a certain number of positive people are detected by discovering new chains of contagion and isolating them, this is a great certainty. One wonders when to remove the green pass, but I believe it will be the last thing to be eliminated. Even today, not everything is 100% open (discos, stadiums). First we gain other pieces of freedom and see what happens, then we remove the mask and we can also think about removing the green pass, but we must proceed gradually ».
The British health authorities, who have asked to reintroduce some anti-Covid restrictions to avoid a “winter emergency”, with 100 thousand new cases a day, are on the same line of thinking. For the leaders of the NHS (public health service) it would be necessary to move to a “plan B”, which includes the mandatory masks in crowded and closed spaces. But the government of Boris Johnson goes on its way, counting on the vaccination campaign that has reached the third doses for some categories and excluding any type of lockdown. The British government’s plan is to offer the booster doses (third doses) to approximately 30 million people it’s a single dose of vaccine for children between the ages of 12 and 15, in addition to proceeding with the general vaccination campaign from 12 years upwards. “We think the right decision is to learn to live with the virus. The pressure on the health system is there, but at the moment it is not unbearable “, said the British Minister of Health Sajid Javid, urging everyone to get vaccinated against Covid and flu and advising citizens to wear a mask in crowded places (without, however, is no obligation to do so). For now, therefore, no plan B.
October 21, 2021 (change October 21, 2021 | 16:28)
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