Italy’s lockdown: 7 rules every citizen must follow

Italy’s lockdown started on Tuesday following the rapid increase of patients and deaths from the coronavirus.

On Monday, the number of confirmed cases surpassed 9,100 and the death toll reached 463 making Italy the worst-hit country outside China. The lockdown was supposed to be on the northern region of Lombardy and 14 nearby provinces, which began on Sundays. However, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has extended it all over the country.

Here are the seven rules that every Italian must follow during the lockdown.

1. Stay at home

Conte ordered the citizens to simply stay indoors as non-essential socialising is now forbidden. Museums, cultural centres, swimming pools, spas, sports halls, and ski resorts across the country have been shut down.

Places of gathering such as sporting events, schools, universities, and even mass were also cancelled at the moment.

2. People must stay 3 feet apart when going out

While businesses can remain open until 6 pm as long as customers are distanced at least a meter apart from each other. Restaurants and cafes are allowed to keep regular opening hours, but malls and marketplaces must be close at weekends.

3. Police permission is needed for travel

Public transport and airport are open and operational, but only essential travel is allowed. People are allowed to travel for valid and urgent work- or family-related reason. Some airlines have suspended flights as the city goes into lockdown.

Meanwhile, train travellers must have a form signed by the police attesting to their reasons, and cars are being stopped for police checks.

4. Hospital visits are limited

With growing number of patients, hospitals are a hotspot. People now need permission to stay in the waiting room of emergency departments.

5. No holidays for healthcare workers

In order to fight the influx of coronavirus patients, doctors, nurses and other medical workers are advised to cancel their holidays.

This mirrors what happened in China as thousands of medical workers in Hubei province are asked to help fight the disease.

6. Jail visits are limited

Family visits are limited or suspended that caused unrest to prisoners. The unrest was due to frustration over the limited visits as well as anxiety over potential coronavirus infection in confinement. Riots broke out in prisons as prisoners reacted to the news.

7. Mortgage repayments have been suspended

Banks have imposed a moratorium on mortgage repayments. The Italian Banking Association, which represents 90% of banking assets in Italy, said lenders would allow the pause in payments to help companies and households disrupted by the virus and the quarantine.

Italy’s unprecedented lockdown comes as China appears to be turning a corner in the outbreak. The country, which also sealed off almost a dozen cities last month during the virus’ peak, has been recording fewer and fewer new cases every day.