Italy to ease lockdown restrictions from May 4; will remain closed for tourists till year-end

Italy has been one of the worst-hit European nations by the Coronavirus, the reason why the authorities were forced to introduce stringent measures to stop the spread of the deadly pandemic. After remaining under lockdown for around seven months, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that lockdown measures will be relaxed from May 4. As part of these measures, parks, building, and factory sites will reopen, whereas schools are likely to stay shut till September.

Further, Minister of Culture and Tourism Dario Franceschini added that Italy’s border will remain closed for foreign tourists till the end of this year. Elaborating on this, an official in the know-how stated that opening of the borders will, however, depend on the epidemiological situation and policies of each state.
However, prominent attractions and museums that remained closed since the Coronavirus outbreak, are likely to reopen in May, he stated.
The Prime Minister, at the same time, warned the citizens that easing the lockdown will not mean ignoring the key social distancing rules, as it is one of the primary measures required to keep the virus at bay. He also urged the citizens, stating that, “If you love Italy, please keep the distance, and emphasized that this is the start of a new phase, and that people will be required to co-exist with the virus”.
Conte maintained that if people don’t follow the social distancing rules, the curve of the contagion will rise again, which will eventually have irreparable damage to the country’s economy.

The Italian Government is also working on measures to support the country’s fragile economy that has been hit this year due to the virus outbreak.