Search icon
Download the all-new Republic app:

Published 17:49 IST, April 15th 2020

Coronavirus Italy: Official warns against resuming Serie A without vaccine availability

Coronavirus Italy: The COVID-19 pandemic is showing signs of slowing down in Italy but officials warn that spectators will not be allowed at Serie A matches.

Reported by: Daniel Arambur
null | Image: self

Italy remains one of the worst-affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic that has gripped the globe. However, the situation looks to have improved over the last couple of weeks as the number of infections and the death rate has fallen quite significantly. The Italian Football Association is weighing up contingency plans to restart the 2019-20 Serie A season sometime in June. However, Sandra Zampa, the undersecretary for the Ministry of Health, warned that playing Serie A football in a stadium filled with spectators is not a possibility until a vaccine is developed to kill COVID-19.

Also Read | Serie A player shares scary experience after beating coronavirus, says he was terrified

Coronavirus Italy

Italy lockdown extended until May 3, 2020, amid COVID-19 pandemic

Also Read | Serie A legend Gianluigi Buffon opens up on conversation with Ronaldo after THAT UCL goal in 2018

Coronavirus Italy

Italian Football association drawing up contingency plans to tackle COVID-19 pandemic

Also Read | Coronavirus Italy: Paolo Maldini opens up on battling 'enemy' coronavirus

In an interview with RaiNews24 on Tuesday, Zampa revealed that it will take some time before Italian football can return to normalcy amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Zampa was quoted as saying “We are still in phase one. The descent is very slow, phase one will begin on May 3rd, but this does not mean returning to the life we ​​knew. I think it is very difficult for the football leagues (Serie A) to resume but I do not see this as a priority at the moment. In any case, full stadiums will only be seen again when we are safe and that is when we have a vaccine. There will not be normal life until we have the vaccine.”

Also Read | Coronavirus Italy: Italian Football Federation hopes players test -ve for COVID-19 by May

Coronavirus Italy

Italy registers the highest number of deaths in Europe amid COVID-19 pandemic

Also Read | Coronavirus Italy: UEFA President Ceferin 'confident' Serie A will finish despite lockdown

Updated 17:50 IST, April 15th 2020

LIVE TV

Republic TV is India's no.1 English news channel since its launch.