COVID-19: Italy to lift face mask mandate from end of June in low-risk zones

Facemasks will no longer be compulsory in most parts of Italy from June 28, the country’s health minister announced on June 21. The European country was one of the first epicentres of the COVID outbreak on the continent and has been subjected to start-stop lockdown restriction for months. However, in recent weeks, positive cases have witnessed a dramatic decline pushing almost all of the country into the ‘white zone’ (low risk). Only the autonomous province of Valle d'Aosta, located on the border with France and Switzerland, remains in the yellow (moderate risk) zone.

No Masks in 'White Zones'

In a Facebook post, Italian Minister of Health Roberto Speranza said that lifting of masks requirement would come into effect in all regions labelled as "white" in the country’s classification of how rapidly the virus is spreading. He further said that, however, people should keep a facemask handy for events with a high risk of spreading the infection. The Italian administration decision is based on the advice of the Comitato Tecnico Scientifico (CTS) scientific advisory panel.

Since the outbreak, Italy has reported a total of 4,253,460 cases out of whom 127,291 have lost their lives while 4,049,316 have recovered. A total of 76,853 cases still remain active in the coastal country, according to the latest data by worldometers. So far, 30 per cent of people over 12 have been vaccinated, or around 16 million out of a population of 60 million.

All 'White' by June 28

On June 21, Health Mnistry allowed all regions except for Valle d'Aosta to drop most remaining coronavirus-related rules following the latest health data review. Italian experts have predicted that all of the country’s 20 provinces and 5 autonomous regions will come under the “white zone” by the end of this week, that is, June 28.

Last week, couples in Italy got the green light to go ahead with wedding receptions, as long as they adhere to strict COVID-19 measures, according to the Associated Press. As per the new regulations, all guests at wedding receptions are required to have an antigen test at least 48 hours before the wedding or provide proof of a vaccine completed 15 days earlier. Additionally, all guests must have their temperatures measured at the entrance and are asked to clean their hands with disinfecting gel.

Image: AP