Moderate optimism on COVID says Conte

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 29 - Premier Giuseppe Conte said Tuesday that Italy was entitled to look with "moderate optimism" on the COVID pandemic.
    Conte stressed, however, that "responsibility" was needed by all.
    "We're now equipped to face the emergency but if the rules are not respected the (contagion) curve may spiral out of control again", the premier said.
    Conte said the Italian economy was "resilient" and a COVID-linked drop in GDP would be "under double figures".
    He said "afterwards, there will be a major rebound".
    Conte said Italy was continuing to work with Switzerland against COVID-19 and a deal on trans-border workers would be reached by the end of the year.
    The premier also said there were still some Italians awaiting unemployment benefits and urged INPS social security agency chief Pasquale Tridico to "work night and day" to provide them.
    He said a row over the doubling of Tridico's salary had been settled. (ANSA).