ANSA: Italy reverts to being split between red and orange zones

ROME. KAZINFORM After the whole nation spent three days in lockdown over Easter to prevent COVID-19 contagion, Italy went back to being split between high-contagion-risk red zones and medium-high-risk orange zones on Tuesday.

Nine regions are currently red zones, meaning shops selling non-essential items are closed and you are only allowed to be outside of the home for work or health reasons or other situations of necessity, such as to do the shopping, and to do exercise, ANSA reports.

Eleven regions are orange zones, where all shops can open and the restrictions are much looser.

In both red and orange zones, bars and restaurants are only allowed to do takeaways and home deliveries.

But the big difference with respect to before Easter is that the government has decided all schools up to middle school can reopen, including in red zones.

As a result six out of 10 students are now having class in school rather than via distance learning.

The government has decided that Italy will not have moderate-risk yellow zones, where, among other things, bars and restaurants can serve customers at their tables until 18:00, in April.

However, it will be possible to contemplate easing some restrictions in some regions as of April 20 if the contagion data improves significantly.

Central government is set to have talks with the regions on Thursday to discuss this.