In an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, the minister urged people to remain conscious of the virus.
“People need to keep their feet on the ground; COVID-19 won’t get on a plane and leave on March 31,” he said in reference to the date when Italy’s state of emergency is due to expire.
The minister’s comments came after Italy’s medicines agency AIFA recommended that people with severely compromised immune systems receive a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, starting in March, provided that at least 120 days have passed since their booster shot.
The special commissioner appointed by the government for the COVID-19 emergency will set the date for the recommendation to come into force based on the needs of the vaccine campaign, the ministry said.
The ministry added that the decision reflects the still high circulation of the virus and the effectiveness that booster shots had shown in preventing COVID-related deaths and, more generally, symptoms that would require hospitalisation.
“We’ll have to evaluate a fourth shot for everyone after the summer,” Speranza said.
“It’s to be considered likely, because unfortunately the virus will not shake our hands and go away forever.”
