ROME – With the contagion rate flattening but the number of dead continuing to grow, the Head of the Italian Civil Protection Agency, Angelo Borrelli, revealed on Thursday that he thinks Italians will have to stay home until at least May 1, although the Italian Deputy Economic Minister, Antonio Misiani, commented that “we are not in a position to give dates for the reopening of production,” as both public figures spoke to Italian radio stations.

  According to official figures, 769 people died in Italy over the last 24 hours, and the number of doctors to have died rose to 71. The Council of Ministers has been scheduled to discuss the possibility of re-opening on Friday, but the meeting could be postponed until the weekend, report Il Fatto Quotidiano.

  Entering 'Phase 2' of the lockdown would entail coexistence with the coronavirus. Despite discussing the chance of this beginning in May, Mr. Borrelli stressed that there was no certainty, and that any decision would be made on the basis of expert scientific advice.

  The uncertainty has had profound economic effects that have been felt across Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics (Istat) report that consumer purchasing power has dropped, and the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI), which monitors the performance of manufacturing and services in Italy, has fallen to a historic all-time low in March.

  To prevent approximately 3 million Italians from falling through the cracks, the Italian Minister for Labour, Nunzia Catalfo, announced on Friday that three billion euros would be made available through emergency income protections.

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