Euro 2020 and Delta variant, final at Wembley: experts’ doubts

The proposal to move the final of the European football championships from London to a city not struggling with the spread of Covid, made yesterday by Prime Minister Mario Draghi, has been discussed. Uefa and Downing Street have clearly ruled out a change of ‘location’, noting that the match scheduled for 11 July “will be held at Wembley”, but there are many Italian virological experts who say they agree with the president’s proposal. of the Council. Pregliasco: “There is an unnecessary risk” In particular, according to Fabrizio Pregliasco, it is “an assembly with an international shift that is not indispensable at the moment”. “I understand Draghi’s concern”, the virologist from the University of Milan comments to Adnkronos Salute, thinking about the spread of the Delta variant of Covid in the UK and the resurgence of infections that forced Prime Minister Boris Johnson to postpone Freedom day and farewell to the latest restrictions. “In general – reflects Pregliasco – the openings are necessary, certainly important, as is tourism. But in the final of the Europeans there is no distributed economic fallout, which justifies other openings. There are mega economic interests, but they are concentrated. restaurateur of the trattoria or the bed & breakfast does not have a great response from a ‘hit and run’ event compared to other openings that would be desirable for him. I think for example that here the restaurateurs complained a lot, but you with the final of the Europeans you don’t help him. Nor in England. ” “By moving people around the world – adds Pregliasco – and going there to be all together to laugh, scream, joke and have fun, you run the risk of raising the virus. Other openings, which are risks, have a justification with respect to the tourism because they represent a distributed economy in favor of many. There, on the other hand, not even England and English tourism are favored. They are hit and run events, people who arrive, become infected and redistribute themselves. It is only a risk of circulating more for example the Delta variant “. Minelli: “We need prudence” According to immunologist Mauro Minelli, “the prudence of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, in my opinion, should be read as an index of seriousness and not as an attempt to change the rules in the course of the game. that each government should be concerned with ensuring the safety and health of all, especially in the context of an international sporting event in which the first fans timidly reappear at the stadium after a year and a half “, explains the manager to Adnkronos Salute for the South of the Italian Foundation of Personalized Medicine. “Personally, I do not believe that at this stage there may be particular risks of an uncontrolled contagion but due to an excess of prudence, which in the experience of Covid-19 has proved to be a precious ally, the British government, if the data were to recommend it – suggests Minelli – it could reduce the number of accesses and impose (contrary to the Hungarian model or what is about to happen in Italy too) the use of the mask inside the Wembley stadium for the final of the European championships. is an easy solution to implement within a few days, but giving a strong signal of care and attention is instead possible and reasonable, or even obligatory “, he concludes. Andreoni: “If cases increase in GB the final is at risk” “If in the days of the final of the European Championships in Great Britain there should be a worrying epidemic situation, it is clear that decisions will have to be made about moving the game. Prime Minister Draghi is placed, we must remember that the Delta variant is high transmission “, underlines to Adnkronos Salute Massimo Andreoni, scientific director of the Italian Society of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (Simit) and head of Infectious Diseases at the Tor Vergata Polyclinic in Rome. Bassetti: “No risk” A voice out of the chorus that of Matteo Bassetti. “There are already medical procedures for the arrival in Great Britain and for the return to Italy. From the health point of view, unless 20 thousand Italian fans arrive for the eventual Azzurri final, I don’t think there are any problems. As far as I know, the players and the staff of Italy are vaccinated “, the director of the Infectious Diseases Clinic of the San Martino hospital in Genoa told Adnkronos Salute.