Italy COVID-19 update
16 June 2021
Italy continues to make good progress controlling COVID-19, so much so that a number of regions have been declared white zones including Puglia and Sardinia. White zones are declared based on consistent, low infection rates and have few restrictions on public activity.
As of today (16 June) – 26.6% of the population over the age of 12 had been fully vaccinated (two doses), still well short of the 75% required to approach herd immunity. The new infection rate for all of Italy has fallen to about 1000 each day, down from more than 6500 a month ago. There are more than 157,000 people listed as COVID positive.
The same pattern emerged in the summer of 2020 when Italy and other parts of Europe opened their borders to tourism. What followed in the autumn and winter was a fierce second wave of COVID. While this year there are vaccines, there is still no herd immunity, so the risk of a third wave remains.
Let’s hope we do not see a repeat of autumn 2020.