Health · Public Health & Disease · 1 day ago
COVID-19 circulation rises in Italy as few people get tested
Family doctors in Italy say COVID-19 is circulating again as schools reopen and colder weather arrives.
Flu and respiratory syncytial virus are also circulating, and symptoms such as cough, fever and a runny nose can be hard to link to one specific virus.
Few people are taking tests, partly because symptoms are generally less severe than before.
However, infections can still be serious for older people and those with chronic illnesses.
Doctors say stronger monitoring and rapid tests are needed to distinguish infections and track their spread.
They also want the RespiVirNet surveillance network fully restored.
Doctors are urging people over 60 and medically vulnerable people to book COVID-19 and flu vaccinations together, as the two vaccines can be given at the same appointment.
Family doctors in Italy report that Covid-19 is circulating again alongside other seasonal viruses as schools have reopened and colder weather has arrived.
Doctors are seeing respiratory infections with symptoms such as cough, fever and a runny nose, but say it is difficult to identify the cause because very few people are taking tests.
Tommasa Maio said symptoms are generally no longer severe for the wider population, but can be serious for older people and those with chronic illnesses.
Maio called for stronger surveillance, rapid tests to help distinguish bacterial from viral infections, and the full restoration of the RespiVirNet network.
Family doctors urged people over 60 and other vulnerable people to book Covid-19 and flu vaccinations in the same appointment; Maio said the vaccines can be given together.
- Who
- Family doctors in Italy and Tommasa Maio, head of the Metis National School of Vaccinology
- What
- A reported return of Covid-19 circulation alongside other seasonal respiratory viruses, with calls for stronger surveillance and vaccination
- When
- As schools reopened and colder weather arrived; the article was published on 10 October 2026
- Where
- Italy
- Why
- The reopening of schools and a cold spell were cited as contributing to the renewed circulation of Covid-19 and other seasonal viruses.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Negli studi vediamo parecchie persone con infezioni respiratorie e sintomi come tosse, febbre e raffreddore, difficilmente attribuibili a uno specifico agente virale, perché quasi nessuno esegue più i tamponi
prenotare nella stessa seduta vaccinale sia il vaccino per il Covid che quello per l'influenza che possono esser somministrati insieme senza problemi
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Publication date
- 10 October 2026
- Expert quoted
- Tommasa Maio, head of the Metis National School of Vaccinology
- Viruses identified
- Influenza, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
- Groups urged to get vaccinated
- People over 60 and other vulnerable people
- Vaccination advice
- Covid-19 and flu vaccines can be given in the same appointment, according to Maio
Sources
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