Jan. 7-10: Florence a Yellow Zone, Then Orange

 

Regarding restrictions designed to contain Coronavirus contagions, Florence–and all of Italy–will be classified as a yellow zone with revised regulations from Thursday, January 7 to Friday, January 8, then the entire country will move into the orange zone for the weekend of January 9-10.  Health Minister Roberto Speranza will sign a new decree on Friday, January 8 which will assign each region a red, yellow or orange designation; limitations will depend on the daily number of new COVID-19 cases, availability of hospital beds in Coronavirus wards, ICUs in addition to other factors.

Italy has been declared a yellow zone for two days after the Epiphany holiday, but with several modifications:  while people can freely travel around their home region, no one is allowed to go to another region unless for reasons of work, health or emergency or to return home to one’s residence, with a filled-in document of self-certification at hand.  The national curfew of 10 pm to 5 pm remains in force, and students may return to class at kindergarten, elementary and middle schools, with remote learning mandated for high school students.  Retail shops will reopen with an 8 pm closing time instead of 9 pm, as was the norm during the holidays.  Supermarkets and grocery store will be accessible, along with newsstands, hardware stores, bookshops, hairdressers and nail salons.  Bar, restaurants, cafés and bars can opt to offer sit down service until 6 pm, with take out and deliveries allowed until 10 pm.  Gyms, theaters, cinemas and museums will remain closed.

Shopping centers will close under the orange zone regulations in force on January 9 and 10; to see other limitations which apply during this period, click here.  (rosanna cirigliano)