Italy Achieves 80% Vaccination Rate by September... Belgium and UK Weigh Mask and Lockdown Easing

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The Italian government announced its plan to have 80% of the entire population vaccinated against COVID-19 by the end of September.

On the 7th (local time), according to local media, Francesco Figliuolo, the government's emergency commissioner, stated this in the lower house. This includes those aged 12 to 15, who recently received approval for the Pfizer vaccine. This corresponds to 54.3 million people.

Italy began its vaccination campaign simultaneously with other European Union (EU) member countries at the end of last year. As of the 8th, about 26.395 million people have received at least one dose, accounting for 43.8% of the total population. Those who have completed the second dose number about 13.15 million (21.8%). Recently, the daily number of vaccinations has been recorded at 500,000 to 600,000.

On the 7th, Italy reported 1,273 new daily COVID-19 cases. The cumulative totals reached 4,233,698 cases and 126,588 deaths, respectively.

In Belgium, local media reported that the outdoor mask mandate in the Brussels-Capital Region will be lifted on the 9th. The mayors of the 19 communes in the Brussels-Capital Region decided this the day before, citing improvements in COVID-19 infection rates and progress in vaccination. However, masks must still be worn in crowded places such as shopping areas where maintaining social distance is difficult.

However, Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgium's Minister of Health, recently emphasized in local media that masks protect people in public spaces and suggested that the nationwide mask mandate in Belgium will not end in the short term. He expects it to be possible when a sufficient number of people have been vaccinated, estimating around September to October. As of the 7th, 52.1% of Belgian adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The UK government is reportedly considering postponing the planned lifting of COVID-19 restrictions scheduled for June 21 by more than two weeks, according to The Times. The delay is to wait until those aged 50 and over have completed their second dose and developed immunity. Concerns also include the fact that millions have yet to be vaccinated and that the Indian variant of the virus is more transmissible. The UK government is expected to announce its position on this matter on the 14th.

Since starting vaccinations on December 8 last year, the UK has administered the first dose to about 40.46 million adults, representing 76.8% of the adult population. Those who have completed the second dose number 27.92 million, about 53.0%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.