Immuni does not work in Veneto, operators have never entered the codes in the database. The shame of the Region: “We left on Monday”

In veneto It does not work the system for tracking infected people guaranteed by the Immuni App, which was presented by the government in the spring and should constitute a very important preventive measure. If a user tested positive for the virus, if he contacts a health center in Ulss del Veneto to share his code, in order to activate the search for all the people who have come into contact with him via bluetooth, listen to the answer: “Immune in Veneto does not work.” After months in the trenches against the pandemic and the recommendations to use the technology it seems incredible, but it is true.

“Il Corriere del Veneto” denounced the incident, based on a phone call to the Ulss hygiene service in Padua made by a man with a positive swab, who had already notified family, friends and co-workers. But could not Track all the people you’ve reached out to in the last few weeks. This is what Immuni should do and then send a notification to interested parties to warn them to perform the checks. This is a huge amount of data, but very useful, thanks to a ten-character alphanumeric sequence that allows you to send alerts. But there is a necessary step, inserting the sequence into the database. And here is the response received in Padua: “Sorry, we cannot enter your code in the database. The Immuni application is not currently active in Veneto ”.

A situation that puts in strong shame the Veneto region. The governor Luca zaia announced an official explanatory note. And he personally declared: “We do everything that is foreseen as a task by the public body for the management of Immuni, in compliance with the competences. Let’s run what is expected of those who download Immune is not that they remain isolated in Veneto, God forbid ”.

Then came the note from the health authorities of the Region with the confirmation that everything will start next week. Dr. Francesca Russo, from the Department of Prevention, Food Safety, Veterinary explains: “I will send a letter to the Ulss communicating what the Sisp (Hygiene offices, ed) should do”. Why this delay? “There were discussions with the central level months ago. At first there was talk of an experimental procedure only in some regions, then things continued for a long time almost everywhere. Now, also in light of greater citizen participation, the system has been refined. When you receive a notification in the Immuni app of a possible contact with a positive, you communicate with the Sisp communicating your code. From that moment on, the regional health system initiates an evaluation specifically accompanying the subject in the usual process of locating contacts ”.

The Region is justified discharging responsibility on government-regional relations. “The Veneto Region, like other Italian regions with which constant coordination is maintained, has been active on the subject from the beginning, with a dense series of contacts, including formal correspondence, with interested parties, starting with the Ministry of Health “. The problem? “The Immune app does not provide information relative to the positive person contacted, the place of contact or the characteristics of the contact. In addition, taking into account current prevention regulations and in particular with reference to the obligation to use the mask in all exterior and interior places, any contact not configured in the absolute sense as close contact“. For this reason,” since it is not possible for the operator of the Public Health and Hygiene Service to assess the level of risk of such contact, in June a possible application protocol was proposed to the Ministry of Health to standardize the procedures of all the Regions. ”In short, Veneto wants the protocol, arguing that it is not possible, with Immuni, to assess the risk profile and start the quarantine.

The deputy’s comment is severe Francesca Businarolo, from the Cinquestelle Movement: “Zaia has made fun of 534 thousand Venetians. Give an explanation, instead of adopting the usual trick of showing how good he is by solving the problems that he has created. The parliamentarian adds: “The Region is frankly admitting that for months data came through Immuni, which could have prevented breakouts, have not been treated. It’s very serious. Maybe someone forgot that in June Zaia had expressed skepticism about Immuni, promising ‘a Venetian app’ that has never been followed. Thinking wrong, you could say a boycott. Otherwise, it is incompetence ”.