Covid and Christmas, close the way: the hypotheses on the table

Published on: 12/15/2020 7:16 AM

“My opinion is clear: the new measures can help us especially in the weeks of the Christmas holidays to avoid a third wave “, to avoid” a new rebound. “This is the opinion of the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza who, before the daily bulletin of new infections and deaths from coronavirus in Italy, comments: “These are still very significant figures. It is true that in recent weeks there has been a slight decrease, due to the measures adopted. But the battle is not there. absolutely won and we still need a lot of prudence. It takes little to back off and frustrate the efforts made in recent weeks. “

Therefore, it seems necessary to adopt stricter measures, even if, unlike Germany, in national closure starting tomorrow, the epidemiological curve is going down. And this, in a nutshell, is precisely the question that arose during the meeting of the Scientific Technical Committee with Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, the heads of delegation of the majority forces and Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese.

the experts from the technical scientific committeeDuring the meeting, they would have expressed strong concern about a possible relaxation of the measures that could endanger a new negative evolution of the curve. The results of misconduct, said the CTS, would arrive precisely in January and in particular from January 7, when the country should start again and millions of people will return to the route between school and work.

Therefore, the hypothesis is to declare Italy in the red zone on holidays and pre-holidays, that is, December 24-25-26, December 31 and January 1, January 5 and 6. The ministers Dario Franceschini, Francesco Boccia and Roberto Speranza are convinced of the need for a new closure, with shops and restaurants closed and the impossibility of moving.

But not everyone in the government is of the same opinion, thanks to the CTS complaint, which calls for stricter measures – “it is inevitable and we are all convinced”, explains one of the ministers at the table – but not necessarily a ‘zone red ‘for all of Italy. Another problem to be solved is that of refreshments, which are unavoidable if activities are closed, but with not a few problems from the economic point of view. The government will update itself again in the next few hours to decide.

“We are thinking about the two weeks of the Christmas holidays: that – Speranza explained – is the most complicated period, in which the rate of travel and relationships increases a lot, and we will have to be more careful.” “We will listen carefully to our scientists and the hope is that in a short time more measures can be taken to avoid a third wave,” he added.

“We must absolutely avoid gatherings. It is legitimate that people can buy, but we must avoid gatherings, not everyone goes to the same place. When they see that there are places with many people,” recommends the Minister of Health, commenting on the images of the end last week, they should be avoided if we do not want very strict restrictions imposed on us.