Health Minister Roberto Speranza added during the press conference that a third “booster” shot of the vaccine would be given to people with the most fragile immune systems later this month.
Draghi said the government is in favour of expanding the use of the COVID-19 “green pass” to other leisure activities.
The certificate shows that the carrier has been vaccinated, tested negative from the virus in the previous 48 hours or recovered from the virus.
It is currently required to attend many indoor venues and dine indoors at restaurants, as well as for long-distance travel, school staff and university students.
Draghi affirmed Italy’s vaccination campaign is “proceeding swiftly” and moving towards the goal of vaccinating 80 per cent of the population by the end of September.
Urging Italians to get vaccinated, Draghi offered his “full solidarity” to those who have been subjected to “hateful and cowardly” acts of violence from “No Vax” protesters.
In recent days, anti-vaxxers have sent death threats to members of the government, virologists, health officials and journalists, because of their pro-vax stances.
Prosecutors in Turin on Tuesday launched an investigation into an anti-vax chat group on Telegram, where members posted death threats against Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio.
“Another rat to be executed”, “We need lead”, and “You must die”, were some of the messages detected in the chat group.
On Sunday night, a top virologist and expert in infectious diseases at Genoa’s San Martino hospital, Matteo Bassetti, was approached by a man, who started following him and shouting: “You’re going to kill all of us with these vaccines and we’re going to make you pay.”
Meanwhile in Rome, a journalist from Italian daily La Repubblica was attacked by a protester at a demonstration outside the Education Ministry.
With ANSA
