Italy inching closer to achieving herd immunity against COVID: Top pandemic official

Italy, which has witnessed one of the devastating times during the first wave of the covid pandemic, was about to reach herd immunity against the deadly virus, reported Xinhua quoting Italy's pandemic commissioner. According to Army Corps General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo who is also heading the country's Extraordinary Commissioner for the Coronavirus Emergency, more than 80% of the population has developed herd immunity.

He also informed that around 80% of the population had received their first dose and expected the same population would receive their second dose by the end of this month. Terming the recent achievement as a milestone for the country, the General said more than 70% in the age group of 19-29 had received their first dose.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), herd immunity, also known as 'community immunity, is the indirect protection from a contagious virus that happens when a community is protected either through immunisation or protection developed through the previous infection. The organisation advocates developing herd immunity against COVID-19 through vaccination, not by exposing the population to the pathogen that causes the disease.

Earlier in August, the country invoked compulsory green passes to avail public services. It mandated green cards at museums, sports venues, cinemas and indoor dining. Now, school teachers, university staff and university students are also required to show the pass. However, thousands of citizens are protesting in the city of Milan against the implementation of the country's Green Pass. 

COVID-19 pandemic cut average life expectancy by 1.2 years in Italy

Recently, a government report revealed that the country recorded a decline in life expectancy this year. According to Italy’s national statistics bureau The Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the pandemic has chopped the average life expectancy in the country by 1.2 years. The report published by the government statistics agency has noted that the nationwide life expectancy for those born in 2020 has now dropped by over one year as compared to 2019. The National Statistics Bureau has stressed that the northern provinces of Bergamo and Cremona which had once a hotspot for the deadly virus in early 2020, has recorded a steep decline in life expectancy. The data underlined "men have lost an average of 4.3 to 4.5 years while women have lost nearly 3.2 years in these areas."

(Image Credit: ANI/Representative)