HERE WE GO AGAIN
One year into the pandemic, Italy eyes another lockdown.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi promised to triple the pace of COVID-19 vaccinations as most of Italy prepares to go into a new lockdown, a year after the country shut down to contain the spread of the coronavirus for the first time.
The prospect of stringent new restrictions to daily life is an unwelcome case of deja vu for Italians still reeling from last spring’s lockdown and angered by the sluggish pace of the vaccine rollout so far.
Mr. Draghi, with a reputation for technocratic efficiency, came to power last month with the expectation that he’d end the emergency and help kick-start the economy.
“Italy is administering about 170,000 doses a day; our aim is to triple that,” Mr. Draghi said in one of his rare public appearances since becoming premier. “It is only with widespread vaccinations that we will be able to do without restrictions like the ones we have had to adopt.”
The former head of the European Central Bank chose a vaccination center at Rome’s Fiumicino airport as a backdrop to make his case that cranking up the inoculation campaign will lift the devastated economy. He pledged $38 billion of stimulus next week, with more to come in the months ahead.
Italy is struggling to
contain a third virus wave, after new, more contagious strains brought infections to their highest level since November. Schools, stores and restaurants will close in most of the country Monday on the back of new restrictions approved by Mr. Draghi’s Cabinet earlier Friday.
To keep his vaccination pledge, Mr. Draghi will have to ensure that pharmaceutical companies step up
vaccine deliveries, which have amounted to 7.9 million doses so far. He hinted he’s ready to block vaccine exports again in case of further delays, using emergency European powers that Italy already exercised earlier this month.
The government plans to enlist dentists, family doctors and medical students to ensure that doses are distributed as fast as possible, using
offices, gyms and parking lots as inoculation sites.
Mr. Draghi said he will seek parliamentary approval to further expand the budget deficit in order to compensate families and businesses hit by the new restrictions. His government aims to prolong furloughs and help weakened companies as lockdowns continue to damage the economy.
Under the new rules, regions with more than 250 weekly cases per 100,000 inhabitants are automatically to be designated high-risk “red zones.” Health Minister Roberto Speranza on Friday evening announced that 11 of Italy’s 20 regions, including those surrounding Milan and Rome, will go into lockdown from Monday. This will affect more than twothirds of Italians.