The Italian regions of Calabria,
Lombardy, Piedmont and Val d'Aosta went into a soft lockdown on
Friday as the government's three-tiered system to combat the
spread of COVID-19 came into force.
These regions have the toughest restrictions under this system
after being classed as high-contagion-risk red zones.
Puglia and Sicily face slightly less stringent restrictions as
they have been classed as medium-high risk 'orange zones' while
the rest of the country is moderate risk - yellow.
Under the restrictions, which apply until, December 3,
ron-essential shops and markets are closed in red zones and
travel outside one's home town is banned, except for work or
health reasons.
People are only able to do exercise near to their homes but,
unlike in the national lockdown imposed earlier this year,
barbers and hairdressers can stay open.
As with the rest of the nation, distance learning is being used
for high school students but, in the red zones, it is also being
used for pupils in the second and third year of middle school.
The atmosphere in Piedmont's capital Turin on Friday, for
example, was considerably less quiet that during the total
lockdown of March and April.
The streets of the city centre were not deserted, with parents
taking children to school, and cafes open for takeaway services.
In the orange zones most non-essential shops will be able to
stay open but bars and restaurants must close, apart from for
takeaway services.
The restrictions are part of the latest in a series of package
seeking to fight the spread of the coronavirus after a sharp
upswing in contagion.
Among other things, the package also brings in a nationwide
curfew. People will only be allowed to be out of the home from
22:00 to 05:00 for work or health reasons.
Other nationwide measures are distance learning in high schools,
the closure of museums and the closure of shopping malls at
weekends.
Under a previous package of restrictions, bars and restaurants
throughout Italy must stop serving customers at 18:00 and the
nation's cinemas, theatres, swimming pools and gyms have been
closed.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
