The news was announced on Monday by Health Minister Roberto Speranza, who said Italy’s goal is to “vaccinate all Italians who want it with the first dose by the end of the summer”.
“The true weapon we have with the rise of [COVID-19] variants is the vaccination campaign,” Speranza said.
The minister also said that masks, which no longer need to be worn in non-crowded outdoor areas, remain “an essential element” in the fight against the virus.
The Delta variant currently accounts for almost 20 per cent of new COVID-19 cases in Italy, according to Italian news agency ANSA.
Italy on Monday recorded 389 COVID-19 cases in the previous 24 hours, down from 782 on Sunday.
The country reported 28 coronavirus-related deaths, up from 14 the day before.
