COVID: Hospitalizations halved on previous waves says GIMBE

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 30 - COVID- 19 hospitalizations have been halved recently compared to previous waves of the virus, health group GIMBE said Monday.
    "We saved the summer tourist season thanks to vaccinations," said GIMBE Foundation President Nino Cartabellotta.
    "The percentage of hospitalizations is very much lower than the number of cases in the previous waves, it is around half," he told Radio Cusano Campus.
    The differences at a regional level depends on the percentage of over 50s who have not been vaccinated in each regions, percentages that vary strongly, he said.
    Some 3.5 million of over 50s have not yet been vaccinated and this could spell "a higher number of hospitalizations and fresh lockdowns", Cartabellotta said.
    Looking ahead to the coming months, he said, the greatest concerns were the emergence of new variants and the potential drip in vaccine cover.
    Italy aims to get 80% of its over 12 population jabbed by the end of next month.
    COVID Commissioner Francesco Figliuolo said last week the vaccine rollout was on target to do that. (ANSA).