“The measure is essential to ensure the surveillance and identification of any variant of the virus to protect the Italian population,” added Schillaci during a meeting of the Council of Ministers where the issue was discussed.
The senior official clarified that “there are absolutely no concerns at this time. If there is a problem, we will intervene immediately to ensure public health.”
According to a report recently released by the Italian Federation of Health and Hospital Facilities (Fiaso), the country continues to see the decline in hospital admissions due to Covid-19, as they have fallen by 9.6 percent in the last week, a figure below 9 ,8 percentage points registered in the previous one.
The figure for the intensive care unit remains stable, where the number of unvaccinated patients rises to 30 percent, 12 points higher than in the previous seven days, and with a median age of 71, the report adds
In his analysis, La Fiaso emphasizes that more than 80 percent of the patients currently hospitalized for Covid-19 have not received a booster dose of the vaccine against this disease, despite being over 70 years old and frail.
Among children and adolescents, the number of underage patients hospitalized in children’s wards has decreased by 24 percent, and 69 percent of them are between the ages of zero and four, the source said.
jf/ort