Weary of Europe’s longest coronavirus lockdown, Italians have had Monday circled in their diaries for a month since Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte first suggested it could be the date life returned to something near normal.
Now their excitement is muted by the knowledge that in the end many of the restrictions of the past eight weeks will remain in place, while confusion reigns over those that will be lifted.
With almost 29,000 deaths from COVID-19 since its outbreak emerged on Feb. 21, Italy has the world’s second-highest toll after the United States.
Moreover, the daily tally of fatalities and new infections have slowed more gradually than the government hoped, prompting Conte to adopt a slowly-slowly approach to ending the lockdown, which will be constantly adjusted depending on contagion trends.
“We are still in the full throes of the pandemic,” he said in an interview with La Stampa newspaper on Sunday, stressing the so-called “phase 2” of the lockdown “must not be seen as a signal that we’re all free” and things can return to normal.
People will be able to leave their homes more freely and more workplaces will be allowed to reopen provided they can meet social distancing rules, but most shops will stay shut until May 18 and restaurants and bars can only offer take-aways.
Schools, cinemas, theatres, museums and hairdressers remain shut, to be reopened at staggered future dates.
Parks will reopen on Monday and Italians can run and do other outdoor activities so long as they stay two metres apart. Masks will be obligatory in all closed spaces, to be bought at pharmacies at a subsidised price of 0.5 euros ($0.55) each.
- Reuters
