Venice's water buses are normally full of tourists but now they're playing a crucial role in Italy's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
They are being used as floating vaccination centers to reach elderly people living on the region's islets, who would otherwise struggle to reach healthcare facilities inland.
Edgardo Contato, the director of Venice's Local Health Authority, told AFP: "Today, on Easter Monday, we are in Sant'Erasmo and it is also an important day for those citizens that are over 80 years old on this island and who can see a future."
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Venice is using a water bus to vaccinate elderly people living on the region's nearby islets who would otherwise struggle to reach vaccination centers. /Reuters.
"Here we will vaccinate people who have mobility issues. In order to offer this service, the Veneto region equipped a vaporetto [waterbus] that will give these people the possibility to receive the vaccine and therefore to be able to hope for the future."
On Monday, around 100 elderly people living on the small island of Sant'Erasmo were expected to be vaccinated as Italy continues its fight against COVID-19.
Over the Easter weekend, the country entered a three-day national lockdown after recording 20,000 new cases per day, while the death toll has now surpassed 110,000.