Walter Ricciardi, a top Italian doctor who is an advisor to Health Minister Roberto Speranza, said Monday that the fourth wave of COVID-19 contagion has started while adding that it can be contained in Italy if the right measures are taken.
Ricciardi, the former head of the Higher Health Institute (ISS), said these measures included offering third COVID jabs to a wider section of the population.
At the moment Italy is only giving third doses to health workers, the elderly and the clinically vulnerable, but Speranza has said the government is looking at expanding the practice to other age groups.
"The fourth wave of the epidemic has already started but we can reduce it," Ricciardi told Sky television.
"It is up to us to make sure it does not become a violent wave like in other countries.
"If we continue to use protection, if we have third doses and adequately manage testing and tracing in schools, it will remain a small wave, not an overwhelming one like in other countries".
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