Covid-19: Italy could be defined in four stages, starting Monday

More and more European countries are thinking about deconfinement and Italy is no exception to the rule. Italian media said on Friday (April 24th) that the country will emerge from containment in four stages, the first of which could begin on Monday.

The government has, however, made no official announcement to this effect, while the country continues to be the most heavily affected in Europe.

"These are four Mondays that will punctuate the reopening" of the country after the containment established on March 9 to stem the Covid-19, according to the daily Il Corriere della Sera, the country's main draw. The peninsula deplores 25,500 deaths due to the epidemic. "Everything will depend on the contagion curve," but if it does not increase, "agricultural and forestry machinery factories could reopen on April 27," the daily writes.

🔵 It is calendario for the re-opening, but the rigid sono molto measure, soprattutto per quanto riguarda spazi e igiene dei locali. Per questo - nonostante il via libera possa arriveare già l'11 maggio - molti negozi rischiano di rimanere con le saracinesche abbassate ⬇️

Unless unforeseen, "May 4, it will be the construction sites and the textile and fashion industry" which will restart. They would then be followed a week later, on May 11, by "the opening of clothing and shoe stores, as well as other businesses". Finally, on May 18, it would be the turn of bars, restaurants and hairdressers to reopen, according to the same source.

Other newspapers mentioned a similar rhythm, preferring to locate the opening of bars and restaurants in the "second half of May".

Strict hygiene measures and social distancing

This gradual reopening will in any case be accompanied by strict hygiene and social distancing measures. Thus, in stores with an area equal to or less than 40 square meters, customers will only be admitted one by one, and in others this figure will depend on their area.

Bars and restaurants must maintain the distance of a minimum of one meter between customers and favor open spaces to air-conditioned ones, air conditioning promoting the dispersion in the air of any contagious aerosols.

Italy remains, Friday, April 24, the first Covid-19 outbreak in Europe and the second in the world, deploring 25,549 deaths. But hope is reborn on the peninsula, where the number of intensive care patients continues to drop daily.

Adaptation of public transport

Some businesses, such as bookstores and laundromats, have been able to reopen since April 14 and nearly 2.7 million people in Italy are expected to resume work from May 4, thanks to the gradual lifting of containment measures in force to curb the coronavirus pandemic.

The peninsula is also preparing to adapt its public transport to the new rules in force. Employees will be asked to use their own car, scooter or bicycle as much as possible, according to a union official who attended a meeting with the government on Wednesday evening. And for those who can not, about 15% of employees, social distancing in public transport will be de rigueur.

With AFP and Reuters

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app