Florence ‘Orange’ in Time for the Holidays

Florence is returning to “orange zone” status starting on Sunday, December 6, with less strict anti-Covid measures as compared to the “red zone” status that was formerly conferred.  This new ordinance will be effective until December 20, 2020.  Retail shops will reopen as will nail salons.  Restaurants and bars will be open only except to prepare take out and delivery orders.  As in former “red zone” status, supermarkets, grocery stores, newsstands and pharmacies are open in addition to hairdressers.  Students can go to school in person in elementary and middle school.  People cannot travel outside their town or city of residence except for work or health reasons or leave the region where they are living.

Self-certification is not needed to leave the home to move around one’s town of residence, but is necessary to travel within the region for the above-cited motives.

Museums, exhibitions and betting halls continue to remain closed in addition to shopping malls and centers on the weekend.  The edict also mandates online classes for all high school students and public transportation (buses, trams and trains) will be limited to to 50% capacity.  A national curfew remains in effective from 10 pm to 5 am except for those who need to be out and about for “necessity, work or health reasons and in the case of emergency.”

Thanks to a December 3 government decree, nationwide Covid restrictions are also being eased for the Christmas season through January 6.

To read more in Italian, visit Florence’s La Repubblica news site.  (rosanna cirigliano)