(AFP): Italy, one of the world’s worst-hit countries by COVID-19, will be placed under new restrictions over the Christmas and New Year periods, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced.
According to details, shops, bars and restaurants will be closed and travel between regions will be banned, and in theory only one daily outside trip per household will be permitted.
Religious celebrations will be allowed until 10:00pm. The country’s premier said, “Our experts fear that the infection curve will increase during the Christmas period.” The prime minister conceded that the authorities had neither the means nor the will to monitor compliance with containment measures.
Food shops, hairdressing salons, pharmacies, tobacconists and laundries as well as bookstores will, however, remain open. The Prime Minister specified that the confinement would be relaxed on December 28, 29, 30 as well as on January 4.
On these days, shops can remain open until 9:00 pm and people will be allowed to move about freely. Italy has 60 million inhabitants and one of the oldest populations in Europe
