Health

Saint Egidio, a refuge against Covid in Rome

Rome (Italy), Aug 27 (EFE) .- (Camera: Antonello Nusca) Italians and foreigners who cannot access the vaccine through the national health system find "refuge" in an old hospital in the central Roman neighborhood of Trastevere, where they receive protection against the coronavirus thanks to the delivery of the volunteers of the Community of San Egidio.FOOTAGE OF THE SAIT EGIDIO COMMUNITY IN ROME WHERE ITALIANS AND FOREIGNERS WHO CANNOT ACCESS THE VACCINE THROUGH THE ITALIAN NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM, ARE BEING VACCINATED. SOUNDBITES FROM PAOLA SCARCELLA, UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR (ITALIAN) AND GLENDA KATYA ALVARADO, VOLUNTEER (SPANISH).SCARCELLA"We are all volunteers: doctors, nurses, other health workers, administrative personnel ... It is the characteristic of all the initiatives and services of the Community: everything is free and everything is done voluntarily"."The initiative came from the Italian Government commissioner for the coronavirus emergency, General Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, who proposed to the Catholic association the opening of the center, aware of the commitment that the Community has always had with the most fragile people.""The numbers are going up: we started on July 6 with 100 appointments a week; today we have 398. They are growing exponentially.""We are very satisfied because many people are being vaccinated who could hardly have done it.""This center is an answer. It is a way to overcome all these difficulties. There has been attention for those people who cannot book through the classic channels."ALVARADOThank God they saved my life, I found maximum protection. We continue to support this great labor of saving so many lives through vaccination