Italy took a big step towards
normality on Friday following an improvement in COVID-19
contagion figures, with the end of the obligation to wear
facemasks outdoors and the reopening of the nation's night
clubs.
People are still obliged to wear facemasks in enclosed public
spaces and in outdoor areas where crowds of people can form.
The nation's night clubs, meanwhile, have been allowed to
reopen, but only at 50% capacity for the moment.
Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa said Thursday that Italy's
COVID-19 restrictions are set to be eased further next month,
while stressing that the return to normality will be a gradual
process.
Costa told RAI television that he could envisage a "softening"
of the requirements related to the 'Super Green Pass', a health
certificate that shows a person is vaccinated for the
coronavirus or has recovered from it.
The pass is currently necessary to do almost all leisure,
cultural or sporting activities in Italy and is obligatory for
over-50s.
The undersecretary said he did not see the COVID-19 state of
emergency, which is set to end on March 31, being extended.
He added that he expects Italy's soccer stadiums to be able to
be full to 100% capacity by the end of the season after
government raised the limit from 50% to 75%.
Italy's COVID-19 Rt transmission number and case incidence have
stayed on a downward trend, according to the latest weekly
coronavirus monitoring report of the health ministry and the
Higher Health Institute (ISS).
It said the Rt number has fallen from 0.93 last week to 0.89.
An Rt over 1 indicates the epidemic is expanding.
The incidence fell from 1,362 cases for every 100,000
inhabitants last week to 962 in this week's report.
The pressure the pandemic is exerting on Italy's hospitals has
continued to fall too.
The report said the proportion of intensive-care places occupied
by coronavirus sufferers dropped from 14.8% on February 3 to
13.4% on February 10.
It said the proportion of ordinary-ward hospital beds taken up
by COVID patients decreased from from 29.5% to 26.5%.
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