ROME – The Covid infection rate has increased to 24 percent, as Omicron re-infections reach 8.4 percent, over four times higher than Delta. 

 Head of Higher Health Council, Franco Locatelli, told Sky TG24 of a “clear underestimation of the number of new cases” due to at-home tests. “A lack of protective measures coupled with the high contagiousness of the circulating Omicron variants, Ba.4 and Ba.5” has led to a viral increase, he added. 

 The strain Ba.5 accounts for over 30 percent of the circulating strains, is more contagious and more easily able to evade antibodies. 

 Locatelli spoke of a “new vaccination campaign” that “cannot be avoided” at this stage due to the mutation of the virus as it becomes increasingly contagious.  

 "From September to October, there will be a new vaccination campaign, but personally I would give priority to those who are exposed to the risk of developing serious disease: 60 years of age may be a threshold, but I think lowering it to 50 is also reasonable. The important thing is to protect those who are most at risk, which is why it is important to plan ahead for what will happen in early autumn,” he declared. 

 For healthcare workers, it will likely be compulsory, but it is not expected to be enforced to those under 50. 

 "Omicron Ba.4 and Ba.5 variants evade the neutralising antibody response but fortunately, the vaccines continue to be highly effective in protecting against severe disease. Even those who have had Ba.1 can be reinfected with Ba.5. We are now at an advanced stage of evaluation,” Locatelli explained, “it takes time to develop vaccines, but the data we have available indicates that bivalent vaccines are able to increase the chance of antibodies being neutralised against Ba.4 and Ba.5.” 

 He added that we are now heading towards an “endemic phase”. When asked about the possibility of the reintroduction of masks in the workplace, Locatelli said, “everything must be contextualised depending on the field of work, contact with the public, or susceptible people could be a reason to strongly recommend the use of a mask. The approach between the use of face masks in the public and private sector will differ or we risk diffusing an ambiguous message.” 

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