Covid-19: What changes under Italy's new March emergency decree?
The Italian government on Tuesday announced its revised set of coronavirus restrictions in force from March 6th. Here's what you need to know.
Italian prime minister Mario Draghi on Tuesday signed the latest emergency decree – known as a DPCM (Decreto del presidente del consiglio, or 'prime minister's decree')
The updated set of rules covers the Easter period, as it will be in force by March 6th until April 6th, health minister Roberto Speranza confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday evening.
Many restrictions remain in place, including the ban on non-essential travel between all regions and the nationwide 10pm-5am curfew.
Here are the main points to be aware of:
Tiered system to stay in place
Italy's current regional system of red, orange and yellow zones or tiers will stay in place, Spranza confirmed.
Many had wondered whether stricter measures were on the way, after several prominent medical experts said last week that a nationwide lockdown is "urgently" needed.
"We believe that differentiating between areas is the right way, because it allows us to give the most suitable answer to each part" of the country, Speranza said.
The regional classifications will continue to be revised based on weekly monitoring reports from the Health Ministry and Higher Health Institute (ISS), with updates announced each Friday or Saturday now coming into force from Monday.
Localised red zones are 'indispensable'
On top of the under the Italian system of regional zone classifications, Italy's rules are getting increasingly complex as dozens of towns and provinces declare local red zones, dark orange zones, or other enhanced restrictions.
This is set to continue in March.
Health minister Speranza said that local restrictions in areas where spikes in infections are detected remian "indispensable" in stemming the spread of new variants.
READ ALSO: Where are Italy's local red zones?
"Some (additional restrictions) were decided due to the outbreaks of cases caused by the English variant, others to the presence of the Brazilian or South African variant,” Speranza said.
"We are aware that they involve sacrifices, but there is no other way at the moment to avoid a worsening of the epidemiological picture".
School closures in high-risk areas
Oneof the main changes under the new decree is that all schools must close in red zones due to concerns about the spread of new coronavirus variants.
Until now, only secondary schools in red zones were closed.
Regional authorities will also now have new discretion to suspend face-to-face teaching in areas within lower-risk orange and yellow regions where the coronavirus situation is particularly bad
"The British variant has a particular ability to affect younger groups,” Speranza said.
“This has led us to determine that in red zones all schools will move to distance learning, as well as in areas where the virus rate is equal to or greater than 250 per 100 thousand inhabitants" per seven days.
New data from the national ISS health institute revealed that 54 percent of coronavirus cases in Italy were now of the so-called British variant, which is considered more contagious.
Hairdressers to close in red zones
The new decree also includes a requirement for hairdressers and barbers to close in red zones.
At the moment, these businesses have been able to stay open even in the highest-risk areas.
Reopenings for theatres, cinemas and museums in yellow zones
There are some reopenings on the cards for lower-risk areas however
These are limited to ‘yellow’ zones only.
The new decree allows the reopening of cinemas and theatres by March 27th, after the government’s scientific advisory panel, the CTS, gave the plan the green light last week.
The government has also extended the opening of museums and archaeological sites to weekends. For now, they can open on weekdays in yellow zones only.
The CTS has stressed that the reopenings depend on the contagion curve, and require restrictions including the mandatory use of masks, distancing, temperature checks and increased sanitation.
Sports and fitness facilities stay closed
Gyms, pools and other fitness facilities stay closed. The current ban on reopening ski resorts also stays in place.
The CTS has said it does not consider it appropriate to relax the restrictions given the increasing infection rate.
Contact and team sports also remain prohibited.
Individual outdoor physical activity such as walking, cycling and running is allowed.
What about bars and restaurants?
Though some politicians have been pushing for restaurants to be allowed to reopen for table service in the evening in yellow zones, citing the financial loss to businesses, this looks unlikely to happen under the March decree.
Restaurants and bars are currently only allowed to open for table service in yellow zones, and must close at 6pm. This remains unchanged.
Takeaway and home delivery are allowed, including in the orange and red zones.
Travel restrictions remain
No international or domestic travel restrictions were relaxed under the new decree.
The current ban on travel between all Italian regions, except for work, health or other urgent reasons, stays in place.
However, a 'Covid-tested' flight scheme allowing air passengers to skip quarantine is to be extended to more destinations, the government said.
Will the vaccination programme speed up?
Draghi has said he intends to make speeding up Italy's vaccination roll-out a priority, and his office on Monday released some details of a plan to accelerate the programme between March and June. This plan is not covered by the emergency decree however.
The country's vaccination campaign has struggled, partly due to Europe-wide supply problems. Only some 1.4 million people have been fully vaccinated so far.
Find all of The Local's latest updates o the coronavirus situation in Italy here.
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Italian prime minister Mario Draghi on Tuesday signed the latest emergency decree – known as a DPCM (Decreto del presidente del consiglio, or 'prime minister's decree')
The updated set of rules covers the Easter period, as it will be in force by March 6th until April 6th, health minister Roberto Speranza confirmed at a press conference on Tuesday evening.
Many restrictions remain in place, including the ban on non-essential travel between all regions and the nationwide 10pm-5am curfew.
Here are the main points to be aware of:
Tiered system to stay in place
Italy's current regional system of red, orange and yellow zones or tiers will stay in place, Spranza confirmed.
Many had wondered whether stricter measures were on the way, after several prominent medical experts said last week that a nationwide lockdown is "urgently" needed.
"We believe that differentiating between areas is the right way, because it allows us to give the most suitable answer to each part" of the country, Speranza said.
The regional classifications will continue to be revised based on weekly monitoring reports from the Health Ministry and Higher Health Institute (ISS), with updates announced each Friday or Saturday now coming into force from Monday.
Localised red zones are 'indispensable'
On top of the under the Italian system of regional zone classifications, Italy's rules are getting increasingly complex as dozens of towns and provinces declare local red zones, dark orange zones, or other enhanced restrictions.
This is set to continue in March.
Health minister Speranza said that local restrictions in areas where spikes in infections are detected remian "indispensable" in stemming the spread of new variants.
READ ALSO: Where are Italy's local red zones?
"Some (additional restrictions) were decided due to the outbreaks of cases caused by the English variant, others to the presence of the Brazilian or South African variant,” Speranza said.
"We are aware that they involve sacrifices, but there is no other way at the moment to avoid a worsening of the epidemiological picture".
School closures in high-risk areas
Oneof the main changes under the new decree is that all schools must close in red zones due to concerns about the spread of new coronavirus variants.
Until now, only secondary schools in red zones were closed.
Regional authorities will also now have new discretion to suspend face-to-face teaching in areas within lower-risk orange and yellow regions where the coronavirus situation is particularly bad
"The British variant has a particular ability to affect younger groups,” Speranza said.
“This has led us to determine that in red zones all schools will move to distance learning, as well as in areas where the virus rate is equal to or greater than 250 per 100 thousand inhabitants" per seven days.
New data from the national ISS health institute revealed that 54 percent of coronavirus cases in Italy were now of the so-called British variant, which is considered more contagious.
Hairdressers to close in red zones
The new decree also includes a requirement for hairdressers and barbers to close in red zones.
At the moment, these businesses have been able to stay open even in the highest-risk areas.
Reopenings for theatres, cinemas and museums in yellow zones
There are some reopenings on the cards for lower-risk areas however
These are limited to ‘yellow’ zones only.
The new decree allows the reopening of cinemas and theatres by March 27th, after the government’s scientific advisory panel, the CTS, gave the plan the green light last week.
The government has also extended the opening of museums and archaeological sites to weekends. For now, they can open on weekdays in yellow zones only.
The CTS has stressed that the reopenings depend on the contagion curve, and require restrictions including the mandatory use of masks, distancing, temperature checks and increased sanitation.
Sports and fitness facilities stay closed
Gyms, pools and other fitness facilities stay closed. The current ban on reopening ski resorts also stays in place.
The CTS has said it does not consider it appropriate to relax the restrictions given the increasing infection rate.
Contact and team sports also remain prohibited.
Individual outdoor physical activity such as walking, cycling and running is allowed.
What about bars and restaurants?
Though some politicians have been pushing for restaurants to be allowed to reopen for table service in the evening in yellow zones, citing the financial loss to businesses, this looks unlikely to happen under the March decree.
Restaurants and bars are currently only allowed to open for table service in yellow zones, and must close at 6pm. This remains unchanged.
Takeaway and home delivery are allowed, including in the orange and red zones.
Travel restrictions remain
No international or domestic travel restrictions were relaxed under the new decree.
The current ban on travel between all Italian regions, except for work, health or other urgent reasons, stays in place.
However, a 'Covid-tested' flight scheme allowing air passengers to skip quarantine is to be extended to more destinations, the government said.
Will the vaccination programme speed up?
Draghi has said he intends to make speeding up Italy's vaccination roll-out a priority, and his office on Monday released some details of a plan to accelerate the programme between March and June. This plan is not covered by the emergency decree however.
The country's vaccination campaign has struggled, partly due to Europe-wide supply problems. Only some 1.4 million people have been fully vaccinated so far.
Find all of The Local's latest updates o the coronavirus situation in Italy here.
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