Euro 2020, Ciccozzi: “High risk of outbreaks with English fans in Rome”

The England and Ukraine match, valid for the quarter-finals of the European Championships, scheduled for July 3 at the Olimpico, is worrying about the risk of Covid outbreaks. “We had to prevent the English fans from coming here to Rome, there is a high risk that with gatherings in the stadium there will be outbreaks”, says Massimo Ciccozzi, director of the Medical Statistics and Molecular Epidemiology Unit of the Campus Bio-Medico University. of Rome, thinking about what could happen in the capital, on Saturday, when the two teams will face each other. “We know what happened with the Scottish fans, almost 2,000 positives – Ciccozzi recalls at Adnkronos Salute, citing the infections in the last two weeks linked to the supporters of the Scottish national team – I don’t understand why we did not intervene to stop the arrival of the fans. that in our country we have a peaceful epidemiological situation “. According to Ciccozzi, “we are running a big risk, we have lifted the obligation of outdoor masks a week ago and we are sending hundreds of fans from the United Kingdom, where the Delta variant is crazy. It seems absurd – he remarks – as it is absurd to do an itinerant European championship when a more contagious variant explodes. We know that the virus walks with man, so – he concludes – we make it move well throughout Europe “. Turning to the theme of discos, Ciccozzi explains that “before reopening the discos I would wait about ten days to verify the epidemiological data in the light of the end of the obligation to wear an outdoor mask. I imagine it is the same thought of those who have to decide”. “We also have the unknown factor of the English fans in Rome to follow their national team – adds Ciccozzi – We try not to ruin everything”. According to Ciccozzi: “We would not have an autumn like last year because we are vaccinating, but we must be careful because there are two months left and then schools will start again and the virus could start moving again. For this reason now – he concludes – we must not take steps false “.