Health Minister Roberto Sperneza has
said he sees Italy's COVID-19-linked restrictions being eased
significantly next month.
"It is legitimate to expect reopenings in May," said Speranza,
who is one of the government members to have taken the hardest
lines on imposing tough measures to prevent the spread of the
coronavirus.
One hypothesis is that restaurants could be allowed to serve
people at tables outside in the evening.
Restaurateurs, gym and bar owners, shopkeepers and other people
whose businesses have been affected by the restrictions have
staged a series of protests in various parts of the country in
recent weeks, some of which have turned violent.
The government has split the country between high-risk red zones
and medium-high-risk orange zones this month, with no
moderate-risk yellow zones where restrictions are much less
stringent.
In red zones people need a good reason to be out of the home,
such as for work or health reasons or to take some exercise, and
shops selling non-essential goods are closed.
In orange zones, you don't need a specific reason to be outside
and all shops can do business.
Bars and restaurants can only do takeaways or home deliveries in
both red and orange zones.
Furthermore, theatres, cinemas, gyms and swimming pools remain
closed all over the country and a nationwide night curfew
kicking in at 10pm remains in force.
The government has said it may be possible to start easing some
restrictions this month if the contagion data is good enough.
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