COVID-19: Italy begins to ease nationwide lockdown, 4 million people to resume work

After being confined to their homes for nearly nine weeks, Italians would be able to stroll on roads and visit their relatives as the country begins Phase 2 of easing lockdown restrictions on May 4. Italy, Europe’s hardest-hit nations by the coronavirus pandemic, has been under what people are terming as ‘world’ longest lockdown’ As of now a total of people 28,884 have died due to the COVID-19 infections worldwide.

4 million to resume work

As the nation resumes constructions and several businesses, as estimated by four million people are expected to go back to work, 72 per cent of them men. On the other hand, Restaurants and eateries will be allowed for takeaway services. However, as per the government orders, bars and ice cream parlours are expected to remain shut. In addendum, government has discouraged the use of public transport, such as buses and ferry transports and people have been ordered to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

Italy has been the first European country to follow the suit of Wuhan and impose a lockdown in the face of infection that has now killed 140,614 people in Europe. According to reports, Italy is expected to witness a decline in its economy more than any year since the economic depression of 1930. As of now, half of the country’s workforce is receiving state support.

Read: Misery Of Italy’s Migrants Grows Not From Virus But Lockdown

Preliminary data revealed on April 30 has revealed that Italy’s economy plunged by 4.7 per cent in just the first quarter of 2020. Being one of the worst affected countries of the COVID-19 outbreak, Italy has been under lockdown to curb the further spread of the disease that has resulted in the biggest quarterly collapse in its economy in at least 25 years. 

Read: Italy: Calabria To Begin Relaxation Of Lockdown Measures As Coronavirus Cases Drop

According to the national statistics bureau ISTAT, the fall in Italy’s Gross Domestic Product in a quarter was the steepest since the current series had begun in 1995. This has reportedly left the third-largest economy in the eurozone in the recession which also witnessed a decline of 0.3 per cent in the last quarter of 2019. ISTAT also said that if the GDP is calculated on a year-on-year basis, the first quarter declined by 4.8 per cent.

Read: Italy: Authorities Urge Residents To Not Lower Their Guards As It Begins Phase 2

Read: Italy's Economy Suffers Steepest Quarterly Drop In 25 Years Amid COVID-19 Crisis

(Image credits: AP)