From our correspondent
CONSELICE (Ravenna) In the submerged country, Conselice, where the houses are still immersed in a marshy and unhealthy swamp, is increasingly alarming for health conditions. And on the day when the Health Authority opened its doors to residents to get them vaccinated against tetanus, now the mayor, with a new and more stringent ordinance, requires everyone to leave the flooded houses. “The measure became necessary – are the words of the first citizen of the Municipality of Ravenna, explains the first citizen Paola Pula – given the difficulties in disposing of water from the town of Conselice, due to the large quantities of water present in the area».
“Our only goal is to safeguard people’s health and safety – explains the mayor -. We are in a difficult situation but, together, we will get through it and I want to thank everyone who is working tirelessly for this. There are currently no health emergencies but stagnation of water, failure of sewers, possible interruptions in the supply of drinking water, the presence of undisposed waste, make it risky to stay in the still flooded town».
From today, as mentioned, the public health and hygiene services of the Ausl Romagna “have started the extraordinary days of tetanus vaccination for adults, with direct access aimed in particular at people who are carrying out activities in the flooded buildings (residents or volunteers)». The invitation to access is aimed at those who have never been vaccinated for tetanus or have had the last booster dose for more than 10 years. A
The day, however, did not start well. In Conselice, one of the villages most affected by the flood, with entire streets still under water, the vaccination center has been stormed since the morning. With scenes of impatience and chaos. People arrived at 8 and have been queuing for hours. A queue that has swelled to at least 150 residents, with many impatient and angry elderly people.
I heard screams: “But where is the civil protection, are they in the square talking and we line up?”. “We took the number and we are in line under the sun.” And again: “Why did they tell us to come and get vaccinated and then leave us waiting?”. People take the number and wait, there are also those who fear that there aren’t vaccines for everyone. Around 10.30 the flooding resolved itself, thanks also to the effort of volunteers and health workers. Although it was announced a little while ago that only 200 vials are available. News received with anger and discouragement by those present.
The tetanus vaccination is important, because the conditions of streets and houses invaded by dirty and stagnant water, combined with the fact that it will be necessary to move an enormous quantity of destroyed objects, makes people more vulnerable to the pathogen. The Emilia Romagna health authority has indicated the centers where it is possible to get vaccinated: Solarolo, Conselice and Sant’Agata sul Santerno (in the Ravenna area); Forlì, Cesena, Savignano sul Rubicone (Forlì-Cesena); and Rimini, at the Public Hygiene clinics in via Coriano 38.
Today however one ddelegation of the military pharmaceutical chemical plant in Florence, a production unit of the Defense Industries Agencywent to the areas of Emilia Romagna affected by bad weather and floods to support local populations with the delivery of pharmaceuticals: disinfectant solutions and saline food supplements were donated in the province of Bologna. The mayor of Monterenzio received the production material of the Military Pharmaceutical. The disinfectant solution – explains the Defense Industries Agency – will represent an important tool to avert the risks of tetanus dictated by floods.
There are also local health authorities outside Emilia-Romagna to provide free vaccines. Like that dthe Vercelli which will offer free vaccination against tetanus, against hepatitis C and against typhus to those who through a voluntary association or the Civil Protection they will choose to lend a hand to the populations of Emilia-Romagna affected by the flood. This was communicated by the Vercelli health company itself, which made the vaccinations available through the Sisp, Hygiene and Public Health Service. “It’s a small gesture by our ASL – they say – in support of the floods in Romagna and the volunteers who, even from the Vercelli area, will go and lend a hand in shoveling the mud”.