A cabinet meeting on Monday is set to
make wearing face masks outdoors compulsory across Italy but
there are no new lockdowns in sight, Premier Giuseppe Conte said
Monday..
Lazio, the region around Rome, has already taken the face mask
measure, at the weekend.
Several other restrictions are set to be approved after a rise
in COVID cases nationwide and several local clusters.
Restaurants, bars and clubs will be ordered to close early and
private parties will be restricted to a small number, government
sources said.
The measures will come into effect, sources aid, once the
cabinet decree is approved by parliament.
Meanwhile the government reactivated its coronavirus task force,
which led lockdown measures, on Monday.
Among the new clusters was an outbreak at Terracina south of
Rome.
There are unconfirmed reports that it may have been linked to a
rally by nationalist opposition leader Matteo Salvini of the
anti-migrant and euroskeptic League party.
Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri said "there should not be a
new national lockdown, but controls should be made more
rigorous".
Conte said "I do not see another lockdown on the horizon".
Meanwhile Education Minister Lucia Azzolina praised teachers for
their "excellent" work after schools reopened last month.
"They have done a great job on school safety", she said.
In Campania, the region around Naples, Governor Vicenzo De Luca
issued an ordinance ordering bars, restaurants and clubs to
close at 23:00 from Sunday to Thursday and at midnight on Friday
and Saturday.
Naples Mayor Luigi de Magistris said the new measure would
increase the likelihood of these businesses being taken over by
the mafia.
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