Coronavirus: schools, bars and restaurants reopen …

From Rome. With a decree approved by the government of Mario Draghi This Wednesday, Italy is preparing to face the new anti-covid regulations which will be in force from April 26, and which are much lighter than the previous ones. Between them the reopening of schools for face-to-face lessons, depending on the region and the health situation. But also the reopening of bars and restaurants with terrace.

Until now, restaurants were closed but they could sell take out food. Bars could also sell take-out food, in addition to coffees, cappuccinos and other drinks, in paper or plastic cups and to be consumed outside the bar, as it was forbidden to occupy the tables inside the bar. inside and outside the premises. These places were open until 6 p.m., although the curfew reached 10 p.m.

The 22-year-old shutdown has given politicians and regional representatives a lot to say, but the new decree has remained steadfast. There are those who have asked the government, like the Conference of the Regions (equivalent to the Argentine provinces) that at least the curfew be postponed until 11 p.m., especially now that the temperatures are much warmer and summer is approaching. And also to give a little help to the people who manage this activity and who have been strongly affected by the pandemic, not only because of the bans in each region but also because of the lack of tourism on which they relied so much.

Also the best leader of the League, Matteo salvini, has repeatedly insisted that the hours be extended until 11 p.m. The League and its supporters did not pass the decree that was approved by the government today at the Council of Ministers meeting.

Others, such as the former secretary of the Democratic Party and president of the Lazio region (whose capital is Rome), Nicola Zingaretti it was declared in agreement with the government. “You have to be careful because the virus is circulating. The desire to revive is just and legitimate and must be heard. But we must not let our guard down. And we will achieve this by vaccinating and vaccinating as well as avoiding overcrowding, ”Zingaretti told Radio 24.

The Minister of Regional Affairs, Mariastella Gelmini, of Forza Italia, the party of Silvio Berlusconi, he also justified the government’s decision. “The curfew conjures up some very ugly things in all of us. But the changes must be gradual so as not to allow a new wave of infections to emerge. The government is convinced that responsible and correct behavior will lead us to go from 10 pm to 11 pm and then to midnight, but I do not feel able to set the times for that, ”he said.

The decree’s measures are valid until June 1, but the state of emergency (i.e. the regime of restrictions) has been extended until July 31. However, since June, if the progress of the pandemic continues to improve, restaurants and bars will also be able to receive customers at tables inside the premises. And it is not excluded that the closing could be postponed to 11 p.m. It is more. According to Salvini, Prime Minister Draghi told him that within 15 days a new decree will be taken with other openings.

Another important decision included in the decree was the reopening of schools. In this sense, there have been many controversies in different regions of Italy and among politicians. Some want 100% of children to go to school and review all the lessons. Others speak of the need for a controlled presence. One hundred percent presence could not only become a source of contagion but would pose serious transport problems since buses are so far only allowed to carry 50 percent of their capacity..

In Castellamare di Stabia, near Naples, for example, students from some high schools have declared a five-day strike, opposing the possibility of returning to school one hundred percent from April 26 and arguing that classrooms are not safe enough to protect them from covid. And this is indeed one of the most common problems in schools whose classrooms are not large enough to respect the distances between all the students in the class.

The rules change depending on the color of the region: red (the one with the highest level of contagion), orange (medium) and yellow (low). According to the decree, from April 26 to the end of the school year (usually June) The courses will take place in presence throughout the national territory, for kindergartens, primary schools and colleges (from 11 to 14 years old). In secondary schools (14 to 19 years old), the attendance of pupils will depend on the region. If the region is red, the presence will be 50 percent to a maximum of 75. In the orange and yellow areas, the presence will be 60 to 100 percent and there will be lags. But the decree also envisages the possibility that this regulation can be modified by the regions or the municipalities, according to the evolution of contagions in the city and at school.

For university students, from April 26 to July 31, the activities will take place in the presence of orange and yellow areas. In this way, the exams will again be taken in person and not online, as until recently, and libraries and reading and study rooms will be opened, among others.

As for The outdoor swimming pools can be opened from May 15th, and the gym from June 1, only in the yellow zones. Group sports such as football, basketball or volleyball are also allowed.. But since April 26 cinemas, theaters and concert halls will also open, but respecting the distance between the public and with a limited number of people.

Another new detail of the decree is the possibility that there may be a kind of pass to be able to travel from one region to another of a different color. The pass will certify if you are vaccinated, or if you have been ill and cured or if you have taken the rapid sample and tested negative the previous days, more or less as required in Europe to travel by plane from one country to another.

According to experts from the Draghi government, reforms and openings were possible thanks to the level of contagion has dropped. The new cases of covid were in the last seven days, according to official data, 95,763, while the previous week, 108,876 were verified. Deaths were 2,440 this week and 3,341 the week before. And most of the vaccinations, which are increasing day by day, have influenced all of this.