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Covid-19: Italy considers removing outdoor mask rule 'from July or August'

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Covid-19: Italy considers removing outdoor mask rule 'from July or August'
People wearing a face mask carry their grocery across the Ponte Sisto bridge on April 24, 2020 in Rome, during the country's lockdown aimed at stopping the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by the novel coronavirus. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

As Italy's coronavirus case numbers fall and temperatures rise, calls are growing for the government to relax the requirement for masks to be worn outdoors.

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While several countries have recently been debating the issue of whether or not face masks should remain mandatory outdoors, it hasn’t been a major topic of discussion so far in Italy.

But as coronavirus case numbers fall and the temperature rises, calls are now growing for the country’s government to relax its current requirement for masks to be worn at all times in public, including outdoors.

READ ALSO: Covid-19: All of Italy's regions now 'low risk', health ministry says

Some Italian health experts say masks should not be a requirement outdoors this summer - perhaps from mid-July or August, depending on the progress of Italy’s vaccination campaign.

However, many officials continue to stress the importance of following such basic precautions.

Photo: Vincenzo PINTO / AFP

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Wearing a face mask in busy public areas has been mandatory since May 2020, and the rules were tightened up again in October 2020 to require mask-wearing at all times in public, indoors or outdoors. The rules are backed up with steep fines for non-compliance.

"These decisions were made in order not to expose us to the risk of having to close,” said Franco Locatelli, head of Italy's Higher Health Institute and coordinator of the government's scientific advisory panel.

"I think we can talk about [removing the mask requirement] in the second half of July, only outdoors, or even indoors for people who are vaccinated,” Locatelli told Italian newspaper La Stampa on Monday.

READ ALSO: What will Italy’s coronavirus rules be for summer 2021?

Italian health undersecretary Andrea Costa meanwhile said the restriction may be removed in August, depending on the progress of the vaccination campaign.

“Continuing at the current pace [of vaccinations], in August we will have over 70 million doses inoculated and over 20 million people in Italy will be fully vaccinated,” he told Italy’s Rai 3 TV channel on Friday.

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"If we continue to rightly argue that the vaccine is the only way out of this pandemic, we must also give people perspective and a glimpse of the time when, outdoors, we can begin to think about removing masks.”

“I believe that in August, with the doses administered, this evaluation could be made,” he said.

READ ALSO: Reader question: What kind of coronavirus test do I need to take for travel to Italy?

All of Italy’s regions and autonomous provinces are in the lower-risk 'yellow' zone from Monday, as the latest health data on Friday confirmed further improvements to the health situation nationwide.

From early June, almost all restrictions will be dropped in the six Italian regions which will be low-risk 'white' zones.

Italy last week announced a revised roadmap for easing its remaining coronavirus restrictions between May and July.

The new plan sets dates for removing almost all rules except for those mandating masks outdoors, and keeping nightclubs and dance venues closed.

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Anonymous 2021/05/25 07:06
What are the rules for driving across regions Have the restrictions been lifted
Anonymous 2021/05/24 17:15
Outdoor mask rule is ludicrous. For a less than one percent chance of transmission, millions of people have to continue this unhealthy practice. Shameful.
  • Anonymous 2021/06/07 19:47
    Well, the expression "When in Rome..." comes to mind. The beauty of being a guest in a country is that it is not your responsibility to change the way the country works (and in this case, why it decided to mandate masks - which seems to have worked pretty well..)

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