Conte: we must avoid a new lockdown

• Coronavirus: 11,705 new cases, 146,541 swabs and 69 deaths

• Conte sees the delegation heads of the government parties.

  Dpcm expected for tonight

• Here comes the new Dpcm, De Micheli: "Staggered superiors, more smart working and docks controls"

• Second wave of Covid, government at work for a new Dpcm

• Second wave: stricter measures are coming for non-essential activities

• Regions, summit proposal with Azzolina on Dad hypothesis for high school

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October 18, 2020

Press conference of the Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, to illustrate the new Dpcm against the second wave of Coronavirus in Italy.

Five days after the entry into force of the previous dpcm, with the general obligation of masks and the stop to parties, new restrictions arrive. 

"I have also just informed the presidents of the two branches of Parliament and the leaders of the opposition" of the new measures, agreed with local authorities and the CTS, to "deal with the new wave of infections".

"We have just approved a new Dpcm, the result of an intense dialogue with the ministers, the Regions and the CTS. It will have to allow us to face the new wave of infections that is severely affecting Italy and Europe, we cannot waste time, we must put in place measures to avoid a generalized lockdown, which could severely compromise the economy ".

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said this at a press conference at Palazzo Chigi.

"School activities will continue in attendance, it is a fundamental asset", added Conte.

Conte and the delegation heads of the government parties met after the summit on the new Dpcm with the Regions.

The meeting ended after about three hours.

Among the most debated issues, with a certain tension, as far as is known, that of the closure of gyms, which would be supported by some ministers, but not by that of Sport or by the Regions.

The

dossier was also at the center of the discussion

: Minister Lucia Azzolina would have been contacted at a certain point in the meeting and, in particular, the hypothesis, which she would have said against, of double shifts morning / afternoon in high school, would be discussed.

The government's proposals were then examined by the Regions and CTS for an opinion, as always happens before the launch of a Dpcm.

In the last draft of the text, on the

we read: "The basic sporting activity and physical activity in general carried out at gyms, swimming pools, public and private sports centers and clubs, or at other structures where direct activities are carried out to the well-being of the individual through physical exercise, are allowed in compliance with the rules of social distancing and without any gathering, in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Office for Sport, after consulting the Italian Sports Medical Federation (FMSI), facts without prejudice to the further operational guidelines issued by the Regions and autonomous Provinces ".

The draft of the new Dpcm in circulation provides, among other things, that after 9 pm the mayors will be able to order "the closure to the public of streets or squares in urban centers, where gathering situations can be created, without prejudice to the possibility of access and outflow to legitimate businesses and private homes ".

As for the

, face-to-face teaching confirmed up to middle

, while "second grade secondary schools adopt flexible forms in the organization of teaching activities" also "increasing the use of integrated digital teaching, which remains complementary to face-to-face teaching "also" through the possible use of afternoon shifts "and" providing that entry does not take place before 9 am in any case ".

In addition, a stop at conferences and congresses in presence is foreseen.

Public ceremonies only in compliance with the protocols and with strict distances.

With regard to

, "the activities of catering services (including bars, pubs, restaurants, ice cream parlors, pastry shops) are allowed from 5.00 to 24.00 with consumption at the table, and with a maximum of six people per table, and until 18.00 in the absence of consumption at the table ".

Gualtieri: "We do not want a new lockdown"

"We do not want a new lockdown and we think we can avoid it but to do so it is necessary that there is maximum implementation of the containment measures already launched and of the new measures that will be announced today and which serve to prevent a new lockdown "said the Minister of Economy, Roberto Gualtieri, guest at Che tempo che fa on Rai 3." The road from here to the vaccine is the most difficult and it is the last mile we have to travel together. We need responsibility by citizens and we also have a great responsibility ".

As for the measures of the Dpcm, the minister said they are "just, proportionate and adequate measures"

The summit with the Regions

The meeting, convened by the Minister for Regional Affairs Francesco Boccia, was attended by the representatives of the Regions, Municipalities and Local Authorities and the Ministers of Health Roberto Speranza, of the Lucia Azzolina School, of Transport Paola De Micheli, of the University Gaetano Manfredi.

Also present was the head of civil protection Angelo Borrelli and the emergency commissioner Domenico Arcuri.

On the table, in fact, the school and the closing time of the premises.

The president of the Conference of the Regions and governor of Emilia Romagna, Stefano Bonaccini, said he was in harmony with the government on the measures.

But while we are moving towards an agreement on a localized tightening for the hours of the premises, the school chapter remained open, with the Regions asking for more distance learning, while the Minister of Education, Lucia Azzolina, immediately held the point on face-to-face teaching.

The other knot to be solved, as mentioned, is that of the gyms: the governors stopped 'no' at the closure hypothesized by the Executive.

Individual governors will still be able to apply extreme measures linked to the trend of the contagion.

The governors ask to indicate more distance learning in the Dpcm

The request of the Regions to the government, according to what is learned, is that if it is decided to strengthen distance learning rather than differentiate the entrances to school, even over several shifts, it is indicated in a standard in the next Dpcm.

Minister Boccia, again according to what has been learned, has invited ministers Azzolina, De Micheli and Manfredi to translate the requests of Regions and local authorities into regulations.

School in the presence "is fundamental for everyone, from the youngest to the last year of the second grade" was

.

The minister also recalled that for upper secondary schools a part of digital teaching "is already present".

The Minister of Transport, Paola

, for her part declared "maximum availability" in strengthening local public transport.

"There are already 1,628 tourist buses in circulation and we are ready to upgrade the system".

Staggered admissions for high schools, news for workers

De Micheli herself, guest of Mezz'Ora in più, anticipated that there will not be a reduction in the filling rate of local means of transport, but the adoption of other measures: '' staggered admission for high schools, different hours for workers and greater use of smart working compared to the current 50%.

A greater control of the subway platforms was then agreed with the companies to facilitate up and down flows. 

The focus was particularly on local public transport, which affects students over the age of 14.

"We opened on May 18 on the basis of a preventive study of flows, including by city. The requirement, even during peak hours, does not exceed 70-75%. We have decided to increase it to 80% to be sure that everyone can be transported. And objectively we have monitored that we do not exceed these percentages. But the perception of security is personal, it is different ", explained the minister.

"The curfew is against our idea in the pandemic. We are doing everything to maintain the right to life during the pandemic, exactly the opposite of the curfew. The rules we will adopt are not for restaurants, which I have seen respect the indications, but for what comes after "concluded De Micheli, specifying that" the limits to the squeeze are linked above all to the places and ways of life that have scientifically demonstrated a greater risk of contagion ".

Towards agreement on localized squeeze for local timetables

"A squeeze on nightlife, but localized" is one of the proposals of the Regions and under consideration by the government.

The early closing time of the premises at 10pm or 11pm could, therefore, be applied only in some neighborhoods of those cities or municipalities where the infection is higher or in other areas where the risk of gathering is greater, such as places of nightlife and historic centers.

On this proposal there would be the favorable opinion of a large part of the Government and of the Regions themselves.

No to the closure of gyms

The Regions have spoken out against a possible restrictive measure on the closure of gyms.

"They were not in the proposals of the Regions and the government did not propose any limitation measures for hairdressers and beauty centers, as well as for gyms and swimming pools", Bonaccini confirmed.

The Minister of Sport, Vincenzo Spadafora, intervened on the issue, supporting the position of the Regions: "There is no scientific evidence of outbreaks for individual training"

"No decision has yet been taken regarding the closure of gyms and swimming pools", sources from the Ministry of Sport say, underlining "how the sector has faced huge expenses to adapt its spaces to safety protocols, and that no scientific evidence reports outbreaks. in relation to individual training in controlled places ".

"It is necessary to assess - continue the sources of the Ministry of Sports - whether it is worse to push thousands of fans and young people into city parks or to continue, perhaps with greater controls, with regulated activities. A sector that has already had enormous losses would risk on the contrary definitive closures ".

"From the previews that I received in the dpcm of the government there are interesting things but also elements of ambiguity. For example, there is the sale of takeaway food until 24, except for the consumption on the spot in the vicinity, who can measure the adjacency? ".

The governor of Campania Vincenzo De Luca said this to "Che tempo che fa".

"I also see - he said - one thing that does not convince me, the mayors can prohibit mobility in the busiest neighborhoods, it seems to me that we are still in elements of unclearness".