From the BBC:
“Covid:
Italy latest European country to order Christmas lockdown”
Italy has
ordered a nationwide lockdown over much of the Christmas and New Year period in
an effort to combat a rise in coronavirus cases. The country will be under
"red-zone" restrictions over the public holidays, with non-essential
shops, restaurants and bars closed, and Italians only allowed to travel for
work, health and emergency reasons. Limited home visits will be allowed. Italian
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said it was "not an easy decision". "Our
experts were seriously worried that there would be a jump in cases over
Christmas... We therefore had to act," he said in a news conference. Italy
has recorded the highest Covid death toll in Europe, with close to 68,000
fatalities. Mr Conte said the launch of the vaccination drive later this month
would mark the beginning of "the end of this nightmare." The
announcement of the Christmas restrictions on Friday 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. Meanwhile in France, President Emmanuel Macron remains in self-isolation
in the official presidential residence at La Lanterne at Versailles after
testing positive for Covid-19. Mr Macron said he was suffering from fatigue,
headaches and a dry cough.
What are the
rules? The "red-zone" restrictions will be in place across Italy
on 24 to 27 December, 31 December to 3 January, and 5 to 6 January. During
this period people "can leave the house only for reasons of work,
necessity and health," Mr Conte said. But, he added, the rules will
allow people to receive a maximum of two guests, not including people under the
age of 14, in their homes. A curfew from 22:00 to 05:00 will remain in place.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte speaks during the press conference to
announce the anti-covid rules that will regulate Christmas holidays, in Rome,
Italy, 18 December 2020. Slightly looser curbs will be in place from 28
to 30 December and on 4 January. On these days, people will be free to leave
their houses but bars and restaurants will remain closed. Mr Conte said
the rules were designed to "allow the minimum socialisation that is
suitable for this period". He said police would not be sent into
people's homes to check the rules were being observed, but urged Italians to
act responsibly.
What is
happening elsewhere in Europe? A number of European countries have been
tightening restrictions ahead of Christmas following a surge of infections. The
Netherlands and Germany have imposed lockdowns until January. In Germany,
Christmas will see a slight easing, with one household allowed to host up to
four close family members. In Austria, the government said on Friday the
country would enter its third lockdown after Christmas. From 26 December,
non-essential shops will be shut and movement outside homes restricted. Sweden
has recommended wearing face masks on public transport during the rush hour,
reversing its earlier guidance. It will also cut from the current eight to four
per table the number of people sitting together in restaurants, and ban alcohol
sales after 20:00. Slovakia's Prime Minister Igor Matovic, who attended
an EU summit with Mr Macron last week, said he had tested positive for
coronavirus on Friday. Several other European leaders who were also at
the summit, including the prime ministers of Belgium, Spain, Portugal and
Luxembourg, said they would self-isolate. In the UK, Prime Minister
Boris Johnson said he was "hoping to avoid" another national lockdown
in England but that Covid-19 cases had increased "very much" in
recent weeks.
^It seems every
single man and woman around the world has to constantly read/watch the news so
they will know what new restrictions and lockdowns are happening at a moment’s notice.
These new restrictions in Italy may be needed, but the changes for one day to
the next make it difficult for ordinary people to follow or understand. ^
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