Italy to ease lockdown measures as coronavirus infections drop
Italy has signalled an easing of lockdown measures put in place seven weeks ago to battle a sudden lethal spike in coronavirus cases.
Italy will begin to relax lockdown measures from 4 May, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said.
People will be able to visit relatives in small numbers and building sites, factories and parks will reopen.
But schools will not open their doors to children until September, Italy said today.
Italy reported its lowest coronavirus death toll since 14 March yesterday as 260 people died. The country’s total death toll of 26,644 is still Europe’s highest, however.
Italy has almost 200,000 confirmed coronavirus infections, according to Johns Hopkins University. But authorities believe Italy’s daily infection rate is now low enough to ease lockdown measures.
How Italy will relax its coronavirus lockdown
People will be able to travel inside their own regions of Italy but not between different regions.
Bars and restaurants will reopen for takeaway services from 4 May but customers must eat at home or in the office.
Hairdressers, bars and restaurants are set to open to dine-in customers from 1 June. And other retailers, museums and libraries will reopen on 18 May as Italy relaxes lockdown.
There is still no date for Italy’s Serie A football league to resume matches, however. But individual athletes can begin training again, while people can do sports outside their homes.
Conte said social distancing would continue for months to come, and church services would continue to be banned.
“If we do not respect the precautions the curve will go up, the deaths will increase, and we will have irreversible damage to our economy,” Conte said. “If you love Italy, keep your distance.”
Italy signalled it would ease its lockdown measures as other countries also prepare to relax measures.
France prepares lockdown exit strategy
France and Spain are also set to ease coronavirus restrictions, sparking stock market optimism today as the hardest hit countries look to emerge from the crisis.
France’s lockdown measures are set to continue for now. But Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said he would propose an exit strategy on Tuesday for parliament to vote on.
With 22,000 deaths in France, there are 17 steps to reopen the country.
They include companies returning to work, restoring normal service on public transport, ensuring face masks and sanitiser are in good supply, and reopening schools.
Spain to relax measures next weekend
In Spain, where the daily death toll is dropping, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez will allow adults to exercise outside from next weekend. And children aged under 14 left to play outside yesterday for the first time since the middle of March.
Spain has said daily coronavirus infections show a “clear descending trend”. And the country, with 207,634 cases and recorded 23,190 deaths, allowed some non-essential workers to return to work a fortnight ago.Other European countries including Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Malta, have already announced a tentative easing of restrictions.