“There is no more time, tough measures are needed,” says Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who decided to extend the containment of the new coronavirus to the entire country, after quarantining 14 provinces on Sunday. The restrictions are now for all regions of Italy, which is quarantine until April 3.
“The whole of Italy will be a protected area”, said the head of the Italian government late on Monday, announcing the drastic measure to contain the new coronavirus.
There are 60 million Italians who will be quarantined. “There is no more red, green or yellow area. There will be Italy. All movements are prohibited, except for proven needs, throughout Italy”, said Conte, quoted by the newspaper
La Repubblica
.
The decree approved by the Italian executive also extends the closure of schools across the country until April 3.
Radical decisions to contain the outbreak of the new coronavirus, after the last 24 hours Italy have recorded 97 more deaths from covid-19, bringing the total to 463.
Quarantine throughout Italy provides for the prohibition of concentrations, movements of people within the country, unless there is a “proven need”, whether for work or health reasons. In other words, citizens will have to prove the indispensability of their work in order to continue exercising the activity, the state of health and other reasons that justify the need to travel outside the area of residence.
“The future of Italy is in our hands”
For Conte, this “is the moment of responsibility” for all Italians. “We cannot let our guard down,” says the prime minister of the measure that his government has approved against the spread of the new coronavirus in the country. “It was not an easy decision.”
“We know that we are asking families and parents with children to make an insignificant effort,” he stressed. “But the future of Italy is in our hands and everyone must do their part “, said Conte, quoted by
La Stampa.
The head of the Italian executive explained that the restrictions that now extend across the country must be respected by “all citizens, from north to south, to fight the advance of the new coronavirus”.
“We are well aware of how difficult it is to change all our habits,” acknowledged Conte. “But we don’t have any more time (…). We must all give up something for the good of Italy and we must do it immediately.”
According to Giuseppe Conte, the measure aims to protect the most fragile members of the community, such as the elderly population. A containment measure that the Prime Minister summed up with the phrase: “I stay at home.”
The Italian authorities had previously announced the ban on public gatherings and the suspension of all sporting activities.
“There are no reasons for the games and sporting events to continue, and I am thinking in particular of the football championship. I am sorry, but all the fans must abide by the decision,” said the Italian prime minister.
Updated at 22.00
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