The Italian government has decided to make it compulsory to wear a surgical mask outside throughout Italy, Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced after a cabinet meeting on Thursday evening. He did not say from what date this measure would be applied.
The FFP2 mask, providing superior protection, will become mandatory for going to the cinema, the theater, sporting events or on public transport, buses, coaches, planes or ships in Italy.
“It’s a difficult phase” that the country is going through in the face of the outbreak of contamination due to the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, acknowledged Mr. Speranza, ensuring that the new measures “can create stronger protection for our population and our health system”. The government has thus decided to reduce the duration of the health pass from February 1, 2022 from nine to six months and further reduce the time to receive the booster dose. Established initially at six months, it has already been reduced to five months and should now drop to four. The date of entry into force of this four-month period will be decided soon, said Mr. Speranza.
Events canceled, nightclubs closed
Regarding restrictions, in addition to the obligation to wear a mask, parties and events providing for the participation of many people are prohibited until the end of January, even outdoors, thus canceling all the concerts that are usually held in Italy for the New Year. discos and other rooms of this kind will also remain closed until January 31st. “The government has further raised the level of its attention” to the coronavirus, assured Mr. Speranza on the eve of “special days that are coming, Christmas and New Year”.
According to a report released Thursday by the Higher Institute of Health (ISS), the Omicron variant accounts for around 28% of cases in Italy. “Even if the results are still preliminary, the estimate confirms the high speed of diffusion of this variant which seems to cause very widespread foci of contamination in a short time and is about to quickly become the predominant variant, as it is already. the case in several other European countries “, commented the president of the ISS Silvio Brusaferro, quoted in a press release.
At the same time, the number of new cases continues to increase. They were more than 16,000 Monday, more than 30,000 Tuesday, more than 36,000 Wednesday and more than 44,000 cases Thursday, according to figures from the Ministry of Health.