Plans to copy Greece by creating “Covid-free” islands are causing a ruckus in Italy.
Leaders of small Italian islands, including Elba off the Tuscan coast and Capri in the bay of Naples, are striving to vaccinate all residents by the end of April in order to salvage the tourism season.
An official plan is being discussed by the government following a request from Ancim, the association for small islands, a few months ago. The idea has been embraced by tourism minister, Massimo Garavaglia, who said: “It can be done and should be done because if others do it and we don’t, the disadvantage will be enormous.”
However, the move has sparked protest from Italy’s larger islands, Sicily and Sardinia, with leaders of both arguing that the main focus should be on vaccinating everyone on their islands instead as they have the capacity to host more tourists, thereby “aiding the recovery of the national economy more significantly”.
Meanwhile, Stefano Bonaccini, president of the Emilia-Romagna region, has called on Garavaglia to reject the plan, arguing that “there cannot be privileged tourist locations at the expense of others”. Massimiliano Fedriga, who leads Friuli-Venezia Giulia, said the plan should be “equal” in order to avoid “social tensions”.
Small island leaders are pushing ahead regardless, with Marino Lembo, the mayor of Capri, saying on Friday that the island would be “Covid-free” within two weeks. “All citizens will be vaccinated, which would allow us to begin the tourism season safely,” he added. The neighbouring isles of Ischia and Procida are aiming for similar goals.
Greek authorities have vowed to vaccinate residents across 69 islands in the Aagean archipelago by the end of April.
