The infections are rising, the variants are worrying, the vaccination campaign is proceeding but not yet at the rapid pace promised by Prime Minister Mario Draghi, with the shadow of the failed deliveries of AstraZeneca (after those of Pfizer), even if the CEO of AstraZeneca Italy, Lorenzo Wittum reiterated that “the 25 million doses promised to Italy will arrive by June”. In this context, the Government is ready to issue a decree which provides for a new tightening until April, including Easter, and even after Easter it will still not be a free-for-all. What is worrying today is the new outbreak of Brescia, where there is even talk of a third wave: yesterday there were over 900 cases in one day in the Lombardy province alone.
Starting next week, the color map of the areas should "darken": Piedmont becomes safe orange, Lombardy, Lazio, Marche, Puglia and Basilicata are also at risk, and none of the currently orange regions can aspire to return to yellow. Furthermore, in various regions, above all Umbria, Alto Adige and Lombardy, there are reinforced orange or red areas, i.e. in fact under lockdown. The new Dpcm will expire on April 6, the day after Easter Monday: for now, the restrictions on travel between regions are confirmed until March 27, but we are moving towards an extension. In the red zone, no visits to friends and relatives, while second homes can be reached if more restrictive decisions by the governors do not intervene. The pressing of the regional presidents continues, including the Emilian Stefano Bonaccini (Pd), to reopen restaurants in the evening in areas less at risk.
But it will be difficult to satisfy the restaurateurs, especially in the orange and red areas where only home or take-away are reiterated. Little changes for commercial establishments, open everywhere except in the red zone where only those who sell essential products can raise their shutters: pharmacies, grocery stores, hardware stores, telephone and IT stores, those for personal care, from hairdressers to perfumeries, bookstores, toy stores, laundries. Shopping centers are still closed everywhere on weekends. The sport is only confirmed outdoors, gyms and swimming pools remain closed. Instead, possible news for the world of culture: despite the new squeeze, the aim is to reopen cinemas and theaters on March 27 (World Theater Day).
In the protocols of the Ministry of Culture, a capacity of one third of the halls, including cinemas, is assumed, up to a maximum of 500 people indoors and 1.500 outdoors. Possible margin of tolerance also for museums, which today in the yellow areas are regularly open from Monday to Friday. The hypothesis is that of make them visitable even on weekends and on holidays. For the Easter holidays, on the other hand, the “Christmas formula” will apply, to avoid family gatherings: in the red zone it is forbidden to visit friends or family, in the yellow or orange zone it can be done but only two at a time with children under 14.
