Lagarde, vaccines important stage, but still risks

(ANSA) - ROME, JANUARY 21 - The vaccination campaign "is an important step" to overcome the pandemic but Covid "continues to pose serious risks to the economy" and "a contraction in GDP is expected in the fourth quarter", indicating that the area appears to be heading for a double recession. The president of the ECB, Christine Lagarde, said in the press conference following the board, stressing that "uncertainty remains high" and economists increasingly predict that production will also decline in this quarter due to the tightening of the restrictions decided by governments to combat infections. . (HANDLE).