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Restrictions on Italians due to coronavirus pandemics will begin to ease on May 4, but very gradually, as the government still fears the number of infections could easily rise again. Addressing the nation live on television on Sunday evening, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte called on Italians to maintain their sense of responsibility during the second phase, in which the country must coexist with the virus.
During the second phase, Conte said, it will be even more important to maintain social distancing and that the responsible behavior of each person will be fundamental. If you care about Italy, he added.
The prime minister said Italians would now be allowed to meet family members, but only in small groups. They will still not be allowed to move from one Italian region to another, unless they have a valid reasoning, for work or health issues, and everyone will be required to show a form explaining the reason for their trip.
The parks will reopen and Italians will no longer be forced to stay near their homes. Factories and construction sites will be able to resume their activities. But bars and restaurants will only be able to offer food at the moment to take with them. Prime Minister Conte said no one would return to school until September. Parents thus remained in search of answers to the question of what to do with their children during this period.
Many Italians, tired of staying inside, have expressed their dissatisfaction with the decisions taken by the government. They do not understand the logic behind the various dates set for reopening. Why can museums open their doors on May 18, but hairdressers not until June 1? The Prime Minister stressed that reopening would require full compliance with security protocols.
Right-wing Italian politician Giorgia Meloni spoke shortly after the prime minister's speech on Sunday evening and echoed the sentiments of many in the country. She said that like everyone else in Italy, she feared the prime minister's details for the second round, expecting important announcements only to reveal that there was no change at all.
Meloni said there should be a logic and logic cannot be the discrimination of certain sectors. Why are some being helped and others left to die? She said Italians have been accepting government rules on behalf of public health for weeks and dealing with this pandemic, but now they feel that many of their rights are being violated.
Meloni said she disagreed that some could not be reopened for another month because that meant some would never be reopened. The state, she insisted, did not provide valid reasons for their decisions or the required financial assistance.
Italy has had the highest number of deaths from coronavirus in Europe with more than 26,000. There have been 260 virus-related deaths in the last 24 hours, the lowest number in the last 6 weeks.