Italy’s islands hope to vaccinate complete populations to make tourism protected

“We hope to be a covid-free island this summer,” said Marino Lembo, the mayor of Capri. “We can save the summer season and protect the local population at the same time.” He said 70 percent of Capri’s tiny population is dependent on tourism.

The regions are belatedly following the lead of Greece, where teams of doctors and nurses have been dispatched to dozens of small islands in the Aegean and Ionian Seas to ensure they are all stung in time for the summer vacation.

Greece has announced that it will be open to tourism on May 14, provided visitors can show they have been vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19.

In contrast, Italy is lagging behind as the government has not set a clear timetable for reopening the country to tourism.

The prime minister said it would depend on the number of new cases and whether the country can speed up its sluggish vaccination program. The tourism minister said Italy could potentially reopen to tourism in early June.

“It is necessary to monitor the data and, based on the data, to reopen it as soon as possible,” said Massimo Garavaglia.

“We have to plan to be quick, otherwise other countries will overtake us.” He said June 2nd, which is a national holiday, “could be the date of the reopening”.