Italy isolates itself until Sunday to stop third wave of covid

Before the start of Sunday vaccination campaign, Italy from today a almost total closure of 4 days for its 60 million inhabitants. This includes the ban on leaving the municipality of residence, bars and shops closed, and a curfew between 10 pm and 5 pm.

The health goal is to prevent the spread of the coronavirus which causes a third wave of cases in January.

The 20 regions of the country have been designated as a “red zone” since midnight today, without entry or exit permits for their inhabitants, unless they expressly need health or work.

Today, at the start of the new restrictions, Italy registered 18,040 new coronavirus infections, with a rate of 9 positives per 100 tests performed, slightly higher than the rate of 8% for the last two days.

The authorities of Ministry of Health reported 505 deaths in the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 70,900.

Restrictions for Christmas, which even forced the dad Francisco to advance their traditional two-hour rooster mass to respect the curfew, include the possibility of inviting a maximum of two people for the holidays, in addition to an unlimited number of children under 14.

The new measures will be in effect until Sunday 27, the same day as the first 9,750 people nationwide will receive the coronavirus vaccine produced by the Pfizer company, in accordance with the so-called “vaccination day” established at European level.