Italy Will Ease Its Coronavirus Restrictions At The End Of April

Italy will ease its coronavirus restrictions at the end of April. The measures will be relaxed by 26 April.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi made a statement at a press conference with Health Minister Roberto Speranza at the Prime Minister's annex building in Rome about when the restrictions, which have been discussed in the country for some time, will be relaxed. Stating that they will gradually stretch the strict measures taken against the coronavirus epidemic, Draghi said, “We can look to the future with prudent optimism and confidence. We have followed a different approach compared to the past. The government took a calculated risk depending on the good data today. Priority will be given to outdoor activities. Restaurants will be opened for lunch and dinner, only in the open area. There will be face-to-face training at all levels in all categories, except for the red (very high risk) areas.” Italian Prime Minister Draghi underlined that they made decisions to meet the expectations of citizens, and drew attention to the fact that controls for rules such as masks and social distance will continue. Reminding that they accepted the new 40 billion Euro support package for citizens and businesses yesterday, Draghi said that reopening represents an extraordinary opportunity for their economies and social lives. Prime Minister Draghi said that as of April 26, inter-regional travel will be allowed, and emphasized that when traveling to regions in different color categories, it will be necessary to carry a pass. Speranza, Minister of Health, stated that they will give priority to outdoor activities in this process and stated that outdoor swimming pools will be opened on May 15, sports halls will be opened on June 1, and fair events will be held as of July 1. In addition, Speranza stated that the night curfew imposed between 10 PM-5 AM will continue for a while and the government will evaluate it weekly.     This article has contributions of Bloomberg HT.