There will not be a day when Covid will disappear at any moment. For this reason, thinking of dismantling the entire system of rules and restrictions starting from a specific date – perhaps March 31 when the state of emergency expires – is not the best strategy. Indeed, “with 60,000 cases a day, it is a mistake” and then yes, for a while longer, to indoor masks, to the Green Pass and perhaps even to the fourth dose in autumn.
The battle is not won
On the day in which the National Day of Health Workers is celebrated in Italy, Health Minister Roberto Speranza confirms himself as the leader of the most prudent wing of the government. A message, probably, also for some majority pieces that have been trampling for weeks due to a de-escalation of the measures. In an interview with Republic, the minister invites everyone to “keep their feet on the ground: Covid does not take the plane and leaves on March 31”, he says, the Green Pass “was and is a fundamental piece of our strategy” and “the masks at closed are still important “. Not only that: Speranza opens the door to a possible, further recall of the vaccine: the fourth dose will start in March for the immunocompromised (120 days after the previous one), «but we will have to evaluate the recall for everyone after the summer. It is to be considered probable, because the virus – she still reiterates – does not shake hands and goes away forever ».
The operators in lab coats are well aware of this, who today – the second anniversary of the discovery of the Codogno patient-1 – celebrated their Day, dedicated to the founder of Emergency Gino Strada. They received a message of homage from the President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella: “It is thanks to their professional preparation and their spirit of sacrifice – says the Head of State – that it was possible to stem the risk of even greater losses”. Investments and reforms are planned for the sector, but their effectiveness “is linked to the quality and commitment of those who actually make it live with their work and passion”.
Pope Francis, too, at the Angelus, addressed a thought of gratitude to the “heroic medical staff”. The president of the National Federation of Medical Orders Filippo Anelli remembers the dead white coats, as many as 370, during the waves of the virus that left about 500 health workers on the field. But also the “12 million citizens treated, of which 10.7 million recovered”. In thanking the doctors for their commitment, Speranza acknowledges that “difficult choices were made two years ago, today 91% of the population over 12 has been vaccinated and this puts us in a position to manage the pandemic in a completely different way, which unfortunately is still in progress “.
The return to normal
The daily bulletin in fact marks 42,081 positives and 141 victims, with a positivity rate of 11.3% and 934 hospitalized in intensive care, 19 fewer than yesterday. However, he has returned to promise the end of the cutting season and “if the trend of reduction of the curve continues we will work in the coming weeks to overcome the state of emergency”. The first steps towards greater normality will be on 1 March the increase in capacity in stadiums and arenas (75% and 60%); from the 10th of the month it will be possible to return to eat in cinemas and sports facilities and visit their hospitalized relatives; on June 15, the vaccination obligation for over 50s expires. Meanwhile, a clarification from his ministry comes to a question from Fnomceo: unvaccinated health workers remain suspended even if recovered from the virus because recovery from Covid does not give the right to return to work. At the moment there are almost 22,000 non-immunized doctors; two months ago it was 40,000 more.