COVID: Mattarella urges collective responsibility

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 20 - President Sergio Mattarella on Tuesday called for collective responsibility in facing an upsurge of cases in the COVID emergency.
    "In this phase we need collective responsibility. widespread behaviour, we are all called to contribute and defeat the pandemic, with our behaviour, face masks, and distancing," he said at a ceremony to honour those who have distinguished themselves in the battle against COVID-19.
    "Avoiding superfluous contacts, we are called to furnish our contribution to avoid falling into the conditions of March-April," said Mattarella as he gave out the honours.
    "We are called to a demonstration of pride".
    Honouring healthcare frontline workers and others, the president said "each Institution understands and will understand that it must not settle back and defend its competence but collaborate because only that way can we overcome t he difficulties.
    "Each professional sphere must avoid digging in its heels and defending its niche of interest, there is no particular interest unless first the general interest prevails.
    "A new phase of emergency appears to be approaching and that requires faith in the possibility that the country can overcome it.
    "This difficult moment reminds us that what happened in the past was not a parenthesis but this phase must be faced with therapies, commitment, and organization knowing that we have greater preparation with respect to March and April when the phenomenon was unknown.
    "We must face this phase with a sense of responsibility but also with greater faith". (ANSA).