Vaccines and school. These are the two main topics addressed by the Premier, Mario Draghi, during the press conference organized today the day after the EU council, which was also attended by the US president, Joe Biden.
SCHOOL
“Schools reopen until sixth grade, Minister Bianchi is working to ensure that it happens in an orderly manner. The overall intention was that, if there had been a space, we would have used it for schools up to sixth grade. Opening further would increase infections ”, underlines Draghi. “In some cases it will be possible to carry out anti-Covid tests. Opening further increases the forms of contagion. Scientific evidence shows that schools are a very limited point of contagion only in the presence of the other restrictions".
“We have decided to spend this little treasure that we have – added the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, starting from the glimmers of improvement presented by the control room – to reopen the school, for the important social function it covers”.
EXPORT AND PRODUCTION OF VACCINES
The Premier spoke of the restrictions on the export of vaccines established by the EE, explaining that the problem posed by Italy “is now for everyone's attention. We were the only ones to block the export of vaccines – he underlined -. Now the EU Commission is widening the network and the criteria within which exporting companies can fall”. “The criterion enunciated by the commission is in part a modification of the previous criterion. Previously, the only requirement for a certain vaccine to stop exporting was a company's non-compliance with the contract. Yesterday the commission broadened the criterion introducing the words proportionality and reciprocity. It also matters what the country to which a vaccine is directed to does, or whether or not it allows exports. Proportionality and a more subtle criterion, concerns the shipment of vaccines to a country that already has a high percentage of vaccinated people ”.
On the changes requested by some member states on the vaccine distribution model, the Prime Minister explained: "We and Germany have decided no". “The blockade must be implemented above all towards companies that do not respect the agreements. The total block. And on the possible block on exports to the United Kingdom: “it would interrupt the production of the vaccine, as well as trigger political tension. We absolutely must not get there and we will not get there."
SPUTNIK
Answering a journalist's questions, Draghi addressed “the topic Sputnik”, explaining that “the EMA is not expected to pronounce” before three or four months. "The question has not yet been asked of Ema," said the premier. "I would be careful about making contracts" on Sputnik "because yesterday the president of the commission highlighted how, from an investigation carried out by the commission speaking with the Russian investment fund, they can produce a maximum of 55 million doses, of which 40% in Russia and the rest abroad. It is a vaccine in two doses, unlike Johnson & Johnson, and the EMA has not yet been presented with a formal application on this but it is reviewing the various components and the EMA is not expected to make a decision for three or four months. If all goes well, the vaccine would be available in the second half of the year. Health, life and death are at stake, we need to seek European coordination and if we don't see the solution, we need to look for other ways. But I would be careful about making certain contracts,” Draghi repeated.
HEALTHCARE OPERATORS
After the outbreaks that emerged in recent days, the Premier anticipated the arrival of an ad hoc rule on healthcare workers, probably by decree. “It is not good for unvaccinated health workers to be in contact with sick people. Minister Cartabia is preparing a provision in this regard".
ASTRAZENECA
On the ongoing controversies relating to the non-delivery of vaccines, the Premier replied: "One gets the impression that some companies, and I won't mention names, have sold the doses two or three times". The reference to Astrazeneca is clear.
The Premier then added that he had already made the reservation and was waiting his turn for the administration of the Astrazeneca vaccine: “I hope to get vaccinated next week,” he said.
REGIONS
“There will be a meeting next week between the Regions and the central government, I will be there too. We must all work together, it is useless to ban or threaten measures. The underlying criterion is age. It goes on like this and it goes on well”. Prime Minister Mario Draghi says so at the press conference. The response of the Regions to the words spoken in Parliament on vaccines was "largely positive".
“What I said to the Regions in parliament was a spontaneous reaction to the differences between the various regions. The Constitution gives the central government powers in the event of a pandemic. My call was also an appeal to collaborate, the call was intended to say that we need to vaccinate the frail and the eighty-year-old and then go in order of age, I also said that the age criterion must once again be a priority. Because you see categories that have been vaccinated before and it is not clear why they are more exposed than the over eighties who are the grandparents who stay with their grandchildren ”.
THE ANSWER TO SALVINI ON CLOSURES
Responding remotely to the words of the leader of the League, Matteo Salvini, who defined "it is unthinkable to keep Italy closed in April" after the orientation that emerged at the end of the control room (no yellow zones until 30 April), the President of the council said: “The closures are conceivable or unthinkable only on the basis of the data we see” on the infections. “The measures have shown over the course of a year and a half that they are not far-fetched. It is desirable to reopen, the decision whether to do so or not depends on the data.”
JOE BIDEN AND WEB TAX
Responding to a question on the intervention of the American president, Joe Biden, at the EU Council, Draghi said: "The intervention of Biden was very important, has truly brought new, fresh air to US-EU relations”. “Biden reaffirmed that the pillar of American foreign policy is the EU. It used to be said that the US looks to the east, to Asia, it was in an equidistant position. Not today, there is only one fundamental ally and that is the EU”. The Premier also made it known that, for the first time, the United States has opened up to the possible taxation of digital companies: "The previous administration, on the taxation of large companies, had an attitude of total closure, and instead this administration has opened to the possibility of an international agreement that allows the taxation of digital companies”.
