Italy announces new national virus restrictions

ROME — Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte has announced new national restrictions aimed at halting the increase of coronavirus cases, including closing shopping malls on the weekends, shuttering museums and limiting movements between regions.

Conte outlined the new measures to lawmakers Monday, ahead of a new decree expected soon. He said shopping malls will be closed on weekends, except for food stores, newsstands, drugstores and tobacco shops located inside. He also announced the closure of gambling parlors and video game arcades.

He added that there will be a “late evening” curfew, but without providing a time. Currently only some regions, including Lazio where Rome is located, have a curfew.

He also said high schools, which are currently on ¾ distance learning, can go on full-time distance learning in a bid to help alleviate pressure on public transport.

Conte told lawmakers on that one big difference this time - compared to measures during the virus’s last peak in March - is that some measures will vary by region, depending on how critical the virus’ spread is and pressure on hospitals.

In Florence, at the Uffizi Galleries, Italy’s biggest-drawing museum, director Eike Schmidt was inaugurating an exhibition about female power in ancient Rome when Conte made his announcement. The Uffizi director said the Galleries were ready to shut down “in the course of minutes” if ordered. But he stressed the museum hadn’t experience any crowding issues amid social-distancing rules.

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