COVID: Never lowered guard says Conte

(ANSA) - ROME, OCT 21 - The government has never lowered its guard on the COVID crisis, Premier Giuseppe Conte told the Senate Wednesday.
    He said the government was aware of the sacrifices it was asking of people.
    Conte added that the economy was resilient and there were positive data in the third quarter of the year.
    He said "today we are more ready, the situation is different from March".
    Conte vowed that the government would avoid generalised closures and the closure of schools, after Lombardy and Campania imposed curfews.
    Coordination was fundamental on all levels, the premier said.
    The premier urged people to limit unnecessary movements.
    Conte said schools would remain open, with the actual presence of teachers and pupils, and distance learning would largely not be reintroduced.
    He said targeted measures would be ensured for bars and restaurants, and that another 350 million euros would be earmarked for school transport in the 2021 budget.
    "The pandemic is forcing us to keep the tension very high," Conte added.
    He said EU leaders would have a videoconference on the coronavirus on October 29, next Wednesday. (ANSA).