Reopening Italy: Stage Two plans announced

Reopening Italy: Stage Two plans announced

All manufacturing, construction and wholesale will resume on May 4, while retail stores, museums, exhibitions and libraries are scheduled to reopen on May 18.

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Sun 26 Apr 2020 7:23 PM

If you love Italy, keep your distance,” reiterated Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on the evening of April 26. In the 30-minute live address, the PM explained plans to reopen Italy gradually, beginning on May 4.

 

While bookstores, stationers and children’s clothing stores were allowed to resume business on April 14, all manufacturing, construction and wholesale will begin again on May 4.

 

Carrying a form of ID and filling in the self-certification document will continue to be a requirement. The form is also carried by the police and may be filled in during checks.

 

Outdoor exercise will be allowed in wider areas, not solely in the vicinity of one’s home, as long a metre’s distance is observed by walkers and two metres by those doing more strenuous exercise. Parks and public gardens will reopen, provided that social distancing is maintained; no congregating is permitted. Children’s play areas and dog parks will not reopen. Outdoor play and recreation in public places are still not allowed for minors. One parent can continue to take children for walks. Local mayors will retain the right to intervene where necessary if congregation is noted in public spaces. As from May 1, outdoor exercise, on foot or by bike, will be permitted again in Tuscany within the municipality where you live. Read more here.

 

As from May 3, the following activities were permitted in Tuscany:

  • One household member can go to another municipality in the same province to purchase essential items and outside the province provided that it is the closest place to your home.
  • Persons can pay respect to the deceased in cemeteries in Tuscany.
  • Fishing is permitted.
  • Persons can drive to the start and finish points of a hike, as long as they return home the same day.

 

 

In Florence, the following parks and gardens will reopen on May 4: Parco delle Cascine, Parco Bobolino, Passeggio del Viale dei Colli e Rampe del Poggi, Piazzale Michelangelo, Piazza D’Azeglio, Piazza Indipendenza, Piazza Demidoff, Piazza S. Spirito, Giardini Piazza Tasso, Giardini di Piazza Puccini, Giardino Caponnetto di L.no del Tempio, Giardini di L.no Colombo e L.no Moro, Giardini check point (Via Venosta – Via dalla Chiesa), Via Lungo l’Affrico e V.le De Amicis, Piazza della Libertà, P.le Donatello, iazza Savonarola, Parco Anconella / Albereta, Parco Viale Tanini, Parco Pozzolatico, Parco Bosco di Sorgane, Piazza Francia, Giardini di Sorgane, Piazza Acciaioli, Parco dell’Argingrosso, Parco di Ugnano, L.no dei Pioppi, Argingrosso interni, San Bartolo a Cintoia, Montagnola, Isolotto vecchio, Le Piagge, Piazza I Maggio, Forlanini, San Piero a Quaracchi, Piazza Costituzione, Piazza Giorgini, Piazza Tanucci, plus (preferable for families since they are fenced, open 9.30-18.30) Parco di Villa Favard, Area Pettini Burresi, Parco di Rusciano, Parco di Villa Vogel, Parco di Villa Strozzi, Parco San Donato, Parco Don Forconi and Giardino Orticoltura.

 

 

 

Additional re-openings in Florence as of May 11

 

Iris Garden, Florence

 

 

Sixteen dog parks and eight additional gardens will reopen in Florence on May 11. Carraia, Nidiaci, Bellariva and lungarno Aldo Moro, Mezzetta, Sansovino, Noli and Saletto, while the Iris Garden to the right of piazzale Michelangelo reopened its gates on May 9. The via Pisacane and Don Forconi dog parks will reopen on May 13 and the Pettini Burresi dog park on May 14. The drinking water fountains will be reactivated in the dog parks. All the parks and gardens in Florence will be open until 8pm.

 

The Tuesday market in the Cascine will return on May 12, solely for the sale of food items.

 

 

Click here for further information (in Italian) about new regulations and reopening in Florence.

 

 

 

Nationwide legislation in place since May 8

 

Florence during lockdown. Ph. Francesco Spighi

 

 

Visits are permitted (although limited contact is advised) between non-cohabiting relatives and non-cohabiting persons who have a “stable emotional bond”, as long as face protection is worn and social distancing is maintained at all times. No large groups or gatherings are allowed in people’s homes. For the purposes of this legislation, “relatives”, or congiunti, are understood to mean spouses, persons who live together, civil union partners, persons who have a “stable emotional bond”, relatives within the sixth degree of relationship (such as first cousins once removed) and relatives by marriage within the fourth degree (your spouse’s cousin). Visiting friends is not allowed.

 

Travelling will not be permitted between regions (so no trips to Liguria from Tuscany, for instance), unless for demonstrated work or health reasons, or other situations of need. As from May 4, you can now return to the region of your domicile, home or residence. 

 

Funerals will be allowed as long as no more than 15 mourners are in attendance, ideally outdoors, but no other religious services can be held.

 

The use of second homes is not permitted at this time.

 

On May 18, it is expected that retail stores will be allowed to reopen, in addition to museums, exhibitions and libraries, while the government is aiming to reopen bars, restaurants, hairdressers and beauty salons on June 1. (In Tuscany, restaurants were permitted to offer takeaway food services in addition to food delivery on April 24. This will apply to the whole of Italy effective May 4, as long as there is no congregating outside or on the premises and the food is eaten at home or in the workplace.)

 

Teleworking is recommended for office employees.

 

Face protection must be worn indoors in places open to the public, on public transportation (gloves are also required on public transport) and on all occasions when social distancing cannot be maintained. Children under six years and those with disabilities preventing the use of face protection are exempt.

 

Anyone with a temperature above 37.5 degrees will be required to remain at home and to inform their family doctor. The elderly, immuno-suppressed and persons with chronic illnesses are advised not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

 

Schools, universities and educational institutes are not expected to open before September; online learning continues in the interim.

 

 

Click here to read the new legislation in Italian (April 26, 2020).

 

Click here to read the FAQ on the Italian Government website. 

 

See the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for information regarding international travel to and/or from Italy.

 

This article will be updated as further details are released by the Italian government. For all official communications, see www.governo.it.

 

 

Article updated: May 10, 2020 at 19:30

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