Hope: cinemas and theaters are stopped because we cannot allow this situation

Health Minister Roberto Speranza was interviewed by Bruno Vespa on the program Porta a Porta last night.The Health Minister spoke on the topic of reopenings, touching on culture as well. When asked by Vespa whether FFP2 masks and reasonable spacing will be enough to reopen cinemas and theaters (this is the direction Culture Minister Dario Franceschini intends to take), Speranza replied, “It will clearly depend on the epidemiological picture. Today, unfortunately, cinemas and theaters are at a standstill because we cannot allow ourselves this situation. In a better epidemiological picture we will work so that cinemas and theaters can also see a different season. If the epidemiological framework will allow us to do so we will certainly also work so that there can be reopenings in this direction, but we will have to do it very carefully, gradually.”

About his approach on closures, Speranza said, “Many people say that I am the one who has been most rigid, who has pushed the most for closures. I have always done it in the interest of the country, in defense of the right to health, of the Constitution. I think we have to develop this path and you can look with reasoned confidence to the future. But we have to do it carefully and gradually, because we want everything except to imagine that there are reopenings one X day without a rationality, which then make us go back: we would like that, once we make this reopening at the intersection of measures that have produced results and a vaccination that runs, we can avoid going back and open safely without nullifying the sacrifices made.”

On the issue of gyms and swimming pools, Speranza makes a general point: “We look at all activities, we are aware that so many have had to pay a huge price, there is no activity that we do not want to consider in this path but, I reiterate, it will have to be a path of gradualness, it will have to be a prudent path, it will have to be a path based on scientific evidence that allows us to govern this curve. There is also school which is a big issue, on school we wanted to invest the first little treasure by overcoming distance learning for elementary, for sixth grade, for kindergarten, and we still have an issue for example concerning high schools, and I think that if there was still a space, a piece of treasure, we still have to invest it on schools. I think the government in these hours will have to plan. That’s it, in view of the next decree we should plan, plan carefully, intelligently, shrewdly, giving a message of confidence to the country but with our feet firmly planted on the ground because if we take the step too far we risk going backwards, and nobody wants that.”

Again, on the issue of nightclubs, Speranza issues a warning, reiterating that they should be opened with great care: “Let’s not forget what happened last summer. I hope that the number of vaccinations may soon be such as to allow us all the reopenings we have discussed. Great caution, though. Let’s also look at the example of last year. There’s a big difference last year, we didn’t have vaccines and this year we have vaccines, but when I say be careful not to take a step too far we continue to have an attitude of caution: we have to look forward to the next few weeks, and when I say we should not take a step too far I’m referring to this the debate on discos, I think we did that last year and we all remember the results. So with the utmost respect I think it’s premature today to talk about this other issue as well.”

Finally, on the vaccine passport, Speranza said it will be in June and that Italy is one of the countries “that are most pushing in this direction, working for this Green Card. It’s not a real passport, it’s a Green Card, I think it’s important because it also allows us to look at travel with more confidence.”

Hope: cinemas and theaters are stopped because we cannot allow this situation

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