“For 16 years”, i.e. from 2004 to 2020, “no activities or projects were undertaken to assess the state of implementation of the National Pandemic Plan and/or to verify Italy’s readiness in pandemic risk comparisons”. Microbiologist Andrea Crisanti writes based on data gathered in the consultation that the Bergamo prosecutor’s office opened in its investigation into the management of the first wave of Covid-19 in Val Seriana, which included the former prime minister among the 19 suspects. Giuseppe Conte, former Minister Roberto Speranza, their technicians and Attilio Fontana, governor of Lombardy.
To “make up” for the lack of surgical masks and Ffp2, healthcare workers of the Alzano Lombardo hospital were advised and authorized to use the masks from the fire extinguishing kits available on the wards. Conversations show staff being “instructed to reuse” Ffp2 as “a procedure that goes against all safety and prevention principles”.
Crisanti’s report and the charges against Conte
But there is much more to the report, one of the cornerstones of the Bergamo investigation. Speranza and Conte would tell the Bergamo prosecutor’s office that they learned of the Alzano and Nembro case on March 4 and 5, respectively. But as Crisanti now always writes in the restructuring of the investigation dossier, on February 27 and 28, 2020, “CTS and Minister Speranza had all the information on the progress of the infection, suggesting that the scenario on the ground” was “much worse”. this was considered a disaster”. And “information about the seriousness of the situation” in Alzano and Nembro was the subject of an “unofficially recorded” meeting of the CTS on March 2 before “Minister Speranza and President Conte”.
“Dr. Miozzo has prepared the report that he has not shared with anyone, which he has left,” Cristanti writes.
Crisanti’s advice also reports the “mathematical model” in which Crisanti estimates the impact of more restrictive and timely measures, such as the red zone, “on the spread and mortality of the virus.” The red zone in Val Seriana, we read, “would have made it possible to avoid 4148 and 2659 deaths with 95% probability on February 27, 2020 and March 3, 2020, respectively.”
February 27 is the date “Sat and the Lombardy Region became aware of the seriousness of the situation,” according to the consultancy. Lombard governor Attilio Fontana and then councilor Giulio Gallera were also “informed about the estimation of the scenarios and the decision to keep the Covid plan secret”. According to the report, they and their “national decision-making bodies” knew “by February 28 at the latest” that the transmission rate had “exceeded the value of two.” And “the spread of the contagion left no doubt that the measures taken had no effect”. And “yet – writes the microbiologist – no more restrictive measures for 10 days”.
“The documents obtained – writes Crisanti – show beyond any reasonable doubt how CTS, Minister Speranza and President Conte have all the information and tools available to assess the progression of the infection and understand its consequences in terms of deaths”. And “based on predictions of the Rt=2 scenario,” detailed by epidemiologist Stefano Merler “so as not to alarm the public,” Sat himself and Minister Speranza shared their decision to release the Covid Plan.
In the report, communications from March 2, 2020 are framed by a section. According to a message sent by then-Minister of Health Roberto Speranza to Silvio Brusaferro, director of the Institute of Higher Health, Prime Minister Conte would ask: A structured report to establish the red zone in Val Seriana: “Conte is not closing two municipalities. It will be beneficial if it is no different from other municipalities. thinks it has a huge cost without providing it”.
Although a “Region of Lombardy report” already showed the province of Bergamo as “most affected”. Sat members, heard by prosecutors, announced on February 23 that they “learned about the condition of positive patients from the newspapers” at the Alzano hospital. And they “confirmed” that the Committee is dealing with the Alzano and Nembro case “only from March 3”. Speranza told investigators he learned of this “only on March 4” and sought “explanations” because the information was “insufficient to adopt a measure of great impact like the red zone”. Hearing by prosecutors, Conte noted that he “heard about the Alzano and Nembro case on March 5” when he was presented with the “Dpcm draft” signed by Speranza “at the end of the Council of Ministers”. , did not sign.
In the report, Crisanti notes that some facts actually turn out differently. Sat member Agostino Miozzo “prepared the minutes of a meeting in the presence of Conte and Speranza” on the afternoon of March 2, where Brusaferro, apparently unbeknownst to those present, showed Val Seriana’s situation. and “underlined the urgency” of adopting the red zone. We read that Conte underlines that “it should be used sparingly because its social, political and economic cost is very high”. And “decides to think about it”.
Source: Today IT
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
