Italian Courage To Risk By Relaxing Restrictions On Activity Restrictions

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JAKARTA - Italian Prime Minister (PM) Giuseppe Conte said that the easing of restrictions on activities would begin gradually. The easing of restrictions on this activity, including opening the borders to tourists from Europe starting next month.

According to this policy, shops, bars and restaurants in Italy will also reopen. The Italian government has also announced that Italians are allowed to travel, which will allow them to reunite with relatives.

"People will be able to go wherever they want; to a shop, to a mountain, to a lake or a beach," said the Italian PM.

The announcement of easing restrictions comes as the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy, which is the third highest in the world, drops to 153 on Saturday, May 16. This figure is the lowest number since March 9.

The restrictions on travel between regions and abroad will remain in effect until the Republic Day holiday ends, on June 2. The rules prevent mass travel over long holiday weekends.

However, all travel restrictions will be lifted from June 3 and tourists from countries in the European Union will be allowed to enter Italy without having to go into quarantine. The rule for opening the country is again a hope because it will improve the tourism sector, which is one of Italy's income.

PM Conte said the decision to lift activity restrictions was a "calculated risk" and added, "We will face this risk and we have to accept it because otherwise we will never start again."

Decreasing Cases

The death toll from COVID-19 in Italy is around 31,800, since the disease first emerged in the northern region of Lombardy on February 21. The death rate was the highest in the world and has now dropped to third, after the United States (US) and Britain.

To contain the contagion, Italy is the first European country to impose a national lockdown in March, until May 4, the Italian government opens factories and parks to the general public.

The changes announced by PM Conte take the process further. Meanwhile large public gatherings are still prohibited. However, church activities and other religious services will reopen in the near future. Arts centers such as museums and galleries will also open soon.

Meanwhile, the fitness center, public swimming pool and other sports centers will reopen on May 25. Theaters and cinemas will re-open starting June 15.

With the economy facing a severe recession, public debt is expected to increase to more than 150 percent of Italy's annual economic output. The Italian government has also been desperate to get the country back to work without triggering a second wave in the epidemic.

Several regions in Italy are starting to get a push for faster opening of activities. But Conte is adamant about opening up activities in a gradual manner. However, he emphasized, various regulations on easing restrictions on these activities also depend on individual actions, such as complying with health and safety regulations.

People who are in quarantine or suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 must remain in isolation and engage in social distancing. Another rule that remains in place is the use of masks when outdoors, especially on busy streets.