Covid-19’s new restrictions are being implemented across Europe amid an increase in cases and a slow implementation of vaccination.
In Italy, one of the European countries hardest hit during the first wave of the pandemic last spring, the government imposed a national blockade over the Easter holiday and restricted business and movement across much of the country.
As of Monday, more than half of Italy will be placed at the “red” level, the highest level of contagion.
In 11 regions, including Lazio, where the capital Rome is located, Italians will only be able to leave home to go to grocery stores, pharmacies, doctors or for health or work reasons. In a déjà-vu last spring, they will also be required to carry a self-certification form with them indicating where they are going, why and from where.
All public places, including restaurants, bars, gyms, swimming pools, theaters, cinemas, will be closed.
Italy saw infections rise 10% in the past week compared to the previous week, and authorities have warned that the situation is deteriorating as highly contagious variants gain ground.
“The application of stricter measures and the progressive increase in the number of vaccinated people make us think that in the second half of spring (contagion) the numbers will improve,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza told La Repubblica in an interview on Sunday. But he added that the next few weeks “are not going to be easy.”
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Italy released its national vaccination plan on Saturday, with the aim of vaccinating at least 80% of its population by the end of September and administering 500,000 doses per day at full capacity. So far, 6.7 million Italians have received at least one dose of vaccine, with just over 2 million of them having received the 2 required doses, according to data from the Ministry of Health.
While several European countries, including Ireland and the Netherlands, suspended the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine because of reports from Denmark and Norway that recipients suffered blood clots, Italy’s health regulator said on Sunday that the alarm raised about the safety of AstraZeneca vaccine is not justified.
Reports are slowing the release of vaccines, already slow, across the European Union, hampered by the lack of doses.
The European Medicines Agency said there was no evidence that the events were caused by vaccination, an opinion that was shared by the World Health Organization on Friday.
AstraZeneca said on Sunday that a review of the safety data of people vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine showed no evidence of an increased risk of blood clots.
Meanwhile, French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Sunday that France must do everything it can to prevent a further blockade by the coronavirus, as the country has reported more than 26,000 new cases, increasing pressure on the health care system.
The French government has so far resisted pressure from some health experts to impose a new and third block in the face of an increase in the number of cases.
France has recorded more than 90,000 deaths since last March. Intensive care units in the capital, Paris, have been full since last November. The government plans to transfer about 100 patients this week by plane or special trains from the Paris metropolitan area to other cities to help ease the pressure on hospitals in the capital.
“The situation is not improving, there is an increasing number of infections and hospitals are very overburdened with many patients,” said Castex.