COVID cases rising, gauge hospital fallout says Speranza

(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 5 - COVID cases are rising in Italy amid the rapid spread of the most infectious sub-variants yet of the Omicron strain and the fallout onto Italian hospitals must be "carefully gauged in order to mitigate its effects", Health Minister Roberto Speranza said Tuesday.
    He said the situation was different from the one at the peak of the pandemic because symptoms were generally much milder, "but we are ready to act if more hospital beds are needed." In autumn, the minister said, the age brackets to automatically receive another booster dose of the COVID vaccine would be "widened".
    The fourth dose is currently available for the over-80s, care home residents, and categories classed as fragile and vulnerable.
    Speranza added that facemasks, which are no longer mandatory except on public transport, should still be used "in at-risk situations such as crowded gatherings". (ANSA).