Covid-19 emergency: Italy confirms the lockdown extension

by Expats living in Rome

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PM Conte: «Back to work gradually»

«We must plan a return to normal which must be done gradually and must allow everyone, in perspective, to return to work safely. We will further enhance the security protocols. This is our commitment ». This was said by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte during the meeting with the opposition.

Covid-19 emergency: Italy closed until April 13th, extended all the measures. 

The government’s decision on Covid-19 situation is “to extend until April 13 all the measures to limit individual activities and travel“. Health Minister Roberto Speranza said so in his report to the Senate. «We are in the midst of a very hard and dramatic experience, we will have time and a way to evaluate each act and consequence, but one thing is clear to everyone: the National Health Service is the most precious asset that there can be and we must invest in it with all the forces we have”, said Speranza in the report.

According to the Minister of Health, “The Italians have given a great test of maturity. Experts say that we are on the right track, and that the drastic measures taken are starting to give results. But it would be an unforgivable mistake to exchange this first result for a definitive defeat of Covid in a long battle, and we must not let our guard down”. And he considers the vaccine as an indispensable goal for a return to normal: “Without a vaccine – said the minister – we will never defeat Covid, we are all aware that for a short time we will have to know how to manage this transition phase and avoid new outbreaks. ”

“The data improves but it would be a mistake to fall into easy optimisms. The alarm has not stopped and for this reason it is important to keep all measures of economic and social limitations and individual travel until April 13. I am convinced that Parliament – he added – will be able to cope with this challenge”.

«Intensive therapies are increased by 75% in one month for a total of 90,781 workstations; Internal medicine and pneumology beds increased by 405% with a passage from 6,525 to 26,424. New hires of health personnel in the Regions for a total of 12 thousand contracts ». This is the budget of the strengthening of hospitals to deal with the Covid-19 emergency, outlined by the minister.

“Now – explained Speranza – the frontier to look at is the territory as the key to the gradual exit from the emergency, to be exploited thanks to teleassistance and ‘contact tracing’. The game against the virus – the minister recalled – is still to be played ».

«We need Europe to quickly change its outdated policies. It is now what Europe must demonstrate that it is a real opportunity, a great force that favors investments, jobs, economic growth, the mitigation of social inequalities. We cannot allow to add an unsustainable and devastating social crisis to a serious health crisis ». This is the warning launched to the EU by the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, in a report to the Senate on the coronavirus emergency.

“We are in a global crisis – he highlighted – which is hitting hard not only the weaker nations, but also the superpowers. After China, the great America is in growing difficulty as well. In Central Park in New York, a symbolic place, a field hospital is being set up, Moscow is in total isolation, all of Europe is hit hard, neighboring Spain in a few weeks has exceeded our number of infections in relationship to the population ».

Well, “faced with this reality – observed Speranza – old geopolitical disputes appear terribly dated. It is the hour of international cooperation, of solidarity. Nobody is saved alone, because we live in an interdependent world and because the virus knows no boundaries. As Pope Francis recalled, praying alone in a deserted San Pietro square, we realized that we cannot go on each one on his own, but only together “.

 

Read the original source in Italian here.

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