New Delhi (NVI): Italy will be placed under new COVID-19 restrictions over the Christmas and New Year periods from December 24, in an effort to combat a rise in coronavirus cases.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte made the announcement and said the country will be under “red-zone” restrictions over the public holidays of Christmas and New year from December 24 to January 6, according to the reports.
Under the new restrictions, non-essential shops, restaurants and bars will remain closed and Italians only allowed to travel for work, health, and emergency reasons till January 6.
Giuseppe Conte in a news conference stated, “It was not an easy decision to announce the anti-covid rules that will regulate Christmas holidays.”
The new rules were designed to allow the minimum socialisation that is suitable for this period, Conte said, adding that, “Our experts were seriously worried that there would be a jump in cases over Christmas. We therefore had to act.”
Moreover, at first slightly looser curbs will be in place from December 28 to 30 and on 4 January. On these days, people will be free to leave their houses but bars and restaurants will remain closed.
The Prime Minister also said that the launch of the vaccination drive later this month would mark the beginning of the end of this nightmare.
Furthermore, the ‘red-zone’ restrictions will be in place across Italy on 24 to 27 December 31 to 3 January and 5 to 6 January, while slightly less ‘orange zone’ restrictions will apply on December 28, 29 and 30 as well as on January 4.
During the period of ‘red zone’ restrictions people can leave the house only for reasons of work, necessity and health, Conte said.
He added, but these new restrictions will allow people to receive a maximum of two guests, not including people under the age of 14, in their homes and curfew from 22:00 to 05:00 will remain in place.
The announcement of the new restrictions followed days of wrangling in the governing coalition between those wanting a complete lockdown and others seeking limited action to help struggling businesses and allow families to meet.
So far, Italy has recorded the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe, with close to 68,000 fatalities. The total number of coronavirus infections stands at 19,21,778 in the country.
-RJV
