After weeks of almost complete isolation, cafes, restaurants and cinemas across Italy reopened on Monday as COVID-19 cases declined across the country.
Fourteen regions of the country are now marked as “yellow”, ie low-risk COVID-19. Five more regions are now at the orange level. Reuters reports that only one region, Sardinia, is still under red alert.
Although restaurants can once again welcome visitors, there is a curfew until 22:00.
Cultural institutions, such as cinemas and museums, can hold outdoor events, and the capacity of the premises is limited to 50%. Schools and universities in the yellow and orange zones are allowed to resume full-time education.
The Colosseum has also reopened for individual visitors, but group tours are not yet allowed.
Additional restrictions are planned to be lifted in the coming weeks, and the opening of swimming pools and gyms is planned after certain wellness treatments.
Meanwhile, Italy has joined several countries in introducing travel bans for those arriving from India. As India struggles with the rising tide of COVID-19.
Italians are allowed to return home from India, although they must pass two negative tests for COVID-19 (one on departure and one on arrival), and then go to quarantine, according to Reuters.