So the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte on his Fb profile: “In these hours the work of the Government continues unabated, assisted by the team of experts, in order to coordinate the management of 'phase two', that of coexistence with the virus .
As you already know, the current restrictive measures have been extended until 3 May. Many citizens are tired of the efforts made so far and would like a significant easing of these measures or even their total abolition. Then there are the needs of businesses and commercial activities to start again as soon as possible. I wish I could say: let's reopen everything. Immediately. We leave tomorrow morning. This government has placed the protection of citizens' health first, but it is certainly not insensitive to the objective of preserving the efficiency of the production system. But such a decision would be irresponsible. It would make the contagion curve go up in an uncontrolled way and would nullify all the efforts we have made so far. All together.
At this stage we cannot afford to act by relying on improvisation. We cannot abandon the line of utmost caution, even in the perspective of restarting. We cannot rely on impromptu decisions to satisfy a part of public opinion or to satisfy the requests of some production categories, individual companies or specific regions. The easing of the measures must take place on the basis of a well-structured and articulated plan. We have to reopen on the basis of a program that takes into account all the details and crosses all the data. A serious, scientific program. We cannot afford to leave out any details, because the easing brings with it the real risk of a decided increase in the contagion curve and we must be prepared to contain this ascent to the minimum levels, so that the risk of contagion is "tolerable" above all in consideration of the receptivity of our hospitals.
I will give you an example. We cannot limit ourselves to demanding, by the individual company, compliance with the safety protocol in the workplace which we have also prepared for this epidemic. We must also evaluate the flows of workers that the reopening of this company generates. The percentages of those who use public transportation, private transportation, at what times, with what density. How can we guarantee social distance within the means of transport? How can we avoid overcrowding, the famous "peak times"? How can we encourage the use of alternative and decongestant modes of transport?
This program must have a national footprint, because it must offer a reorganization of the methods of carrying out work services, a rethinking of the modes of transport, new rules for commercial activities. We must act on the basis of a national program, which however takes into account the territorial peculiarities. Because the characteristics and methods of transport in Basilicata are not only the same as in Lombardy. As well as the receptivity of the hospital structures changes from Region to Region and must be constantly commensurate with the number of infected and Covid-19 patients.
This is why we have groups of experts who are working alongside us day and night. There is dr. Angelo Borrelli who from the first hour helps us, for the whole operational part, with the women and men of the Civil Protection. There is dr. Domenico Arcuri who is putting his managerial skills at the service of the supply of personal protective equipment and medical equipment that the Regions were strongly lacking in (think: to date we have provided the Regions with 110 million masks and around 3 thousand fans for therapies). There is the prof. Silvio Brusaferro who together with the other scientists and health experts of the Technical-scientific Committee provide us with a scientific analysis of the epidemiological curve and suggest the measures for contagion containment and risk mitigation. More recently, dr. Vittorio Colao who, together with many other experts, is offering a decisive contribution for the drafting of a plan for a gradual and sustainable reopening, which takes into account all the multiple operational and scientific aspects.
It is all too easy to say 'let's open everything'. But good intentions must be translated into reality, into the reality of our country, taking into account all our potential, but also the current limits that we know well.
In the next few days we will analyze this reopening plan thoroughly and deepen all its details. In the end, we will take responsibility for the decisions, which are up to the Government and which certainly cannot be entrusted to the experts, who also offer us a valuable basis for evaluation. We will take the decisions that belong to politics as we have always done: with courage, lucidity, determination. In the exclusive interest of the whole country. In the interest of citizens of the North, Central, South and Islands. I will never allow divisions to arise. We must march together and keep the community spirit high. This is our strength.
And let's stop being strict with our country. The whole world is in trouble. We can be proud of how we are facing this tough test.
Before the end of this week, I hope to communicate this plan to you and explain the details of this complex program. A reasonable prediction is that we will apply it starting next May 4. "