COVID cases are rising in Italy amid
the rapid spread of the most infectious sub-variants yet of the
Omicron strain and the fallout onto Italian hospitals must be
"carefully gauged in order to mitigate its effects", Health
Minister Roberto Speranza said Tuesday.
He said the situation was different from the one at the peak of
the pandemic because symptoms were generally much milder, "but
we are ready to act if more hospital beds are needed."
In autumn, the minister said, the age brackets to automatically
receive another booster dose of the COVID vaccine would be
"widened".
The fourth dose is currently available for the over-80s, care
home residents, and categories classed as fragile and
vulnerable.
Speranza added that facemasks, which are no longer mandatory
except on public transport, should still be used "in at-risk
situations such as crowded gatherings".
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