Since the beginning of the pandemic, the NATO Armed Forces have played an important role in responding to the COVID-19 emergency.
As part of the mission in Kosovo, Italy, Slovenia, Austria and Switzerland provided specialized teams to contribute to the efforts being made to contain the virus.
In particular, the Italian Army has made available a medical team sent to the operational theater from logistic command, who within four days conducted a risk analysis for the mission headquarters in Pristina, as well as a mass screening of military and civilian personnel at the base.
The team advised on hygiene and behavioral measures to counteract the risks associated with COVID-19 in the most effective way.
Subsequently, in the first week of May, a team of the 7th Chemical-Biological-Radiological-Nuclear Defense Regiment 'Cremona' was deployed, which is making a decisive contribution to the sanitation of numerous multinational areas within the KFOR bases, thanks equipment supplied, which includes apparatus for disinfection by means of sodium hypochlorite solutions and the use of ethanol, special protective clothing, FFP3 masks, gloves and other protective equipment.
Army specialists first sanitized the military area of Pristina airport, and then focused on the dozens of buildings inside the KFOR headquarters, the longest-running of NATO operations, with around 3500 soldiers from 27 nations and led for the seventh consecutive year by Italy, currently by Major General Michele Risi of the Army.
The contribution that the 7th regiment is making is part of the prevention measures promptly adopted by KFOR to minimize the risks for its civilian and military personnel, as well as to protect the communities of Kosovo.
KFOR operations continue smoothly under the mandate of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999, to maintain a safe environment and freedom of movement for all citizens of Kosovo.
