Italy Plans to Lift Night Curfew on 21st of Next Month as COVID-19 Restrictions Ease

[Photo by Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] Italy is expected to lift the current nighttime curfew, implemented to curb the spread of COVID-19, next month.

The coalition parties of the Italian government led by Prime Minister Mario Draghi reportedly reached a tentative agreement on further easing of quarantine regulations on the 17th (local time), according to public broadcaster RAI News and others.

According to the agreement, the curfew start time will soon be delayed by one hour from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m., and from the 7th of next month, it will be further shortened to midnight. Then, on the 21st of next month, the nighttime curfew system will be completely abolished.

Italy has enforced a nationwide nighttime curfew since November last year, when the second wave of the pandemic intensified.

From the 1st of next month, indoor operations of restaurants and pubs will resume. However, operating hours will be limited until 6 p.m. Outdoor operations will be allowed until just before the curfew starts, as is currently the case.

Weekend and holiday operations of large shopping malls will be permitted from the 22nd of this month, and health clubs are expected to reopen from the 24th.

Weddings with guests and amusement park openings will be allowed from the 15th of next month. For weddings, attendees must have been vaccinated or present a negative COVID-19 test certificate.

Regarding spectator attendance at sports events such as soccer, it will be allowed from the 1st of next month within 20% of the stadium capacity, and casinos will also reopen from July 1st.

Discotheques will not be allowed to operate either outdoors or indoors.

This roadmap for easing regulations is expected to be announced as an administrative order after approval by the cabinet meeting.

The Italian government has eased quarantine regulations since the end of last month. As of the 17th, Italy reported 3,455 new COVID-19 cases and 140 deaths. The cumulative totals are 4,162,576 cases and 124,296 deaths, respectively. The positivity rate stands at 2.9%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.