Italy extends quarantine measures to the whole country

Due to the spread of the coronavirus crisis, the Italian government is extending the restrictions on freedom of movement to across the whole country. No time must be lost in reducing the spread of the virus, said Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday evening. "Our habits need to change, and we all have to give up something for the good of Italy.” International train and flight connections, as well as local public transport. will not be suspended, however.

Schools, universities and kindergartens across the country will remain closed until April 3rd. All sporting events, including Serie A games, will also be suspended. Around 60 million people are affected by the measures.

The government declared Lombardy and other areas in northern Italy to be restricted areas at the weekend. You can only go into or out of them for good reasons - for example, for technical reasons or for health reasons, and you have to submit a self-declaration.

Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte

The country is fighting a rapidly increasing number of people infected and killed by Covid-19 lung disease. In the meantime, almost 10,000 people have contracted it, and more than 460 have died. The new regulation will apply from Tuesday.

“There will be no red zones (...). There will be a single protection zone for the whole of Italy,” said Conte. One of the reasons for the decision may also be that many people fled from the restricted areas in the north to the south, which had previously been less affected, before the checks began. Events with large numbers of people are no longer allowed to take place across the country.

It is still unclear exactly what the new regulation means for foreigners in Italy and for the tourists already there. So far, tourists have been able to leave the restricted areas in the north, however. But many airlines have reduced or completely cut their connections to the north. Immigrants to Italy will be checked at the borders.

In view of the coronavirus epidemic, the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin had previously warned of trips to numerous areas in the north and centre of Italy. "Trips in and to Italy should currently be limited to what is really necessary", says the current travel and safety information.