Italy's Health Minister says citizens must 'remain prudent' as country eases restrictions

As Italy relaxed its coronavirus lockdown measures, Health Ministry Roberto Speranza reportedly called on citizens to ‘remain prudent’. While speaking to international media reporters, Speranza warned that the ‘hard part’ will now begin as there will be more people out and the possibility of people crossing paths will be higher. He said that the behaviour the nation has learned in the past weeks will be more necessary than before because there will be a greater occasion for contagion. 

Speranza reportedly acknowledged that he had been reluctant to reopen the country too quickly. He also said that that virus is still not defeated. Further adding that it is not present like it was weeks ago, but it is still there and the citizens must remain prudent. 

The Italian health minister also said that the nation had to reopen also because the economy and society ‘need to relaunch again’ as the lockdown has affected both. Additionally, he also announced that the government will be increasing its intensive care capacity by 115 per cent. He said that the authorities will be inviting more than three billion euros in creating more than 11,000 ICU beds. 

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Italy ‘must accept’ risks of reopening 

Last week, Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte also acknowledged that the reopening of the Italian economy brings a risk of new outbreaks of the coronavirus but said that the nation ‘must accept it’. Conte also reportedly said that the nationwide lockdown that began in early March had brought the ‘expected result’ as now the country is in a position to expand economic activity in the second phase of reopening. Stores, bars, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers and museums are among the business and cultural activities that have been allowed to reopen. 

Italy was also the first country in Europe to have imposed restrictions in the wake of the global health crisis and had emerged as a virus hotspot. After being under strict lockdown for at least two months, the measures were allowed to ease earlier this month. On May 4, Italy’s government had allowed the factories to resume its operations and parks were open for the public. Since some Italian regions were calling for more restrictions to be eased and fast, Conte has said that the lifting of lockdown would happen gradually in a bid to avoid the second wave of novel virus infections.

(Image: AP) 

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