ROME - Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has released a new set of national coronavirus regulations set to come into action from midnight on Saturday night.
The new rules also brings a reshuffle in the zones, with nine more regions, including Lazio to become orange and Lombardy, Sicily and the Province of Bolzano to be the first red regions in 2021. Only six areas remain yellow: Basilicata, Campania, Sardegna, Tuscany, Molise and the Province of Trento. The regulations are currently that regions with an R number of over 1 are orange, and those with an R number over 1.25 are red.
The government decided not to institute a national lockdown, as have been put in place in Germany and the United Kingdom, but the minister of health, Robert Speranza, has said, “the situation can not be underestimated, we must work together swiftly to anticipate the restrictions in order to avoid a new, stronger wave.”
Adding to the current regulations, such as the curfew from 10:00pm - 5:00am, there is now also a ban on movement between regions, including those in orange zones. In orange zones, it is permitted to travel between localities with populations less than 5,000, and only up to a distance of 30km, and never to the regional capitals (rules already trialled over the Christmas period)
Until March 5, one is allowed to meet one other person outside (not including under 14 year olds), only once a day. The sale of take away alcoholic drinks after 6:00pm has been banned, though food can still be sold for take away after 6:00.
However, students in yellow and orange zones will return to school on Monday, with at least 50% capacity, unless regional restrictions say otherwise.
Ski resorts will stay closed until Feb. 15 and, and then will only open under strict safety guidelines. Gyms and swimming pools will also remain closed. Museums in yellows zones will open, but only during weekdays. The minister for goods, culture and tourism Dario Franceschini has said that this is “a first step, a signal of reopening” for the future.
The government has also for the first time introduced white zones. However, to become white, a region must have had three weeks of fewer than 50 cases per 100,000 people, so we won’t see a white zone for a while. The only regulations for white zones are the wearing of masks and social distancing.

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