Health Minister Roberto Speranza on Friday defended the new three-tier restriction system the government has brought in, saying it is necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19, and hit back at flak from the governors of high-contagion-risk 'red zone' regions that have been put into soft lockdowns.
"If we don't bring down the (contagion) curve, the health personnel won't be able to cope with the shock wave," Speranza told the Lower House.
"The personnel question is the most important one. We mustn't waste time with rows, we must work together.
"We have months ahead of us that won't be easy, but we have the strength to bend the curve again".
Speranza said the fight against COVID-19 "must not be the terrain of political conflict".
He also said that the regional governments had been "fully involved" in the work that led to the development of the tiered system of restrictions.
"The monitoring criteria of 21 parameters were agreed on with the regions at two meetings and the reference parameters have been used for 24 weeks without the regions making any objections," he said.
"The path of caution is obligatory in order to contain the pandemic".
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