Regional Affairs Minister Francesco
Boccia said Friday that a return of restrictions on movements
between Italian regions cannot be ruled out after the sharp
increase in the number of new COVID-19 cases recorded over the
last few days.
Italy registered over 4,000 new cases on Thursday.
"Limitations on movement between regions cannot be ruled out,"
Boccia told Radio Capital.
"Nothing can be ruled out at the moment.
"We must defend everyone's health and jobs at all costs.
"Movement between regions must be safeguarded, but the situation
must be monitored day by day.
"As soon as a warning light comes on, it is necessary to
intervene".
Emilia-Romagna Governor Stefano Bonaccini, the head of the
conference of Italian regional governments, said that "if the
contagions increase and we find ourselves in a more worrying
situation, it will be necessary to be ready for eventual greater
restrictions".
Bonaccini said there was no danger of a clash between the
regions and central government over the response on the
coronavirus.
"We will all be responsible," he said.
"I don't see any other path but that of working together".
Walter Ricciardi, a member of the World Health Organization
(WHO) executive and a consultant to Health Minister Roberto
Speranza, told Sky TG24 that the risk of a second wave of
COVID-19 had been underestimated.
"The number of (new) cases has doubled every month since June,"
he said.
"We had 200 (new) cases (a day), then 800, then 1,600 and now we
have over 4,000 cases.
"So we risk having over 8,000 cases a day in a month and 16,000
a day in two months, when the influenza will arrive".
He also said that he thinks Italy can reduce its COVID-19
quarantine period from two weeks to 10 days.
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