Covid, Locatelli: “Via outdoor masks from mid-July”

In mid-July we can assume that we will do without outdoor masks. Word of Franco Locatelli, coordinator of the technical-scientific committee for the Covid emergency, president of the Higher Health Council and director of the Oncohematology Department of the Bambino Gesù hospital in Rome. Interviewed by ‘Il Messaggero’, albeit cautiously, he says he is optimistic about the progress of the pandemic. “This theme of masks recurs in a pressing manner in the media – he explains – We must concentrate for a while on securing the most fragile populations. It is true that we are not at a good point, but at an excellent point, but it still remains. a job to complete. All this, among other things, also allows us to further reduce the viral circulation, but soon we will be able to start thinking about abandoning personal protective equipment. But only outdoors, I would like to emphasize it. I would say that it is possible talking about it after mid-July, before it is largely premature. Indoors “, however,” it is early – he specifies – Also because the masks have served us to limit a whole series of infections that can be transmitted via the respiratory tract. interpersonal, the masks have allowed us not to have the classic peak of flu that we usually see in February. The role of masks in general to prevent infections should be enhanced respiratory. They are not that limiting of our lifestyle. “Should we worry about the Indian variant of Sars-CoV-2?” This variant is at a percentage that is on the order of 1% per cent in Italy, I don’t think at the moment there are elements of concern for our country “, Locatelli reassures. Furthermore, he recalls,” the British have focused a lot on administering the first dose of “vaccine” in the widest possible way, while we have also focused on the second which gives complete protection “. Again,” the volume of trade, for historical reasons, between the United Kingdom and India is very different from that of Italy and the Asian country. Among other things, Minister Speranza confirmed the stop to flights. It is perfectly right to be careful, but I don’t think we should look at the Indian variant with concern. Of course, it is right to sequence as much as possible, but we do not create alarmisms that have no reason to exist. “The CTS coordinator has no doubts:” We will have a different autumn because we have vaccines. The data that have been produced in the context of the vaccination of the health personnel of the Bambino Gesù hospital further reassure about what is the effectiveness of protection over time. Keep in mind that, when we go to explore the antibody response, we only evaluate a piece of protection because there is then the whole part of the cellular immune system response that contributes in a very relevant way “.