Italy: Rome region orders masks to be worn outdoors amid covid surge

Rome: The governor of the central Lazio region around Rome, Nicola Zingaretti, has signed an order on Monday night making the wearing of masks outdoors compulsory over Christmas and into the new year.

The move comes amid a surge of new covid infections in Italy, with the government set to meet on Thursday to discuss fresh measures in light of concerns over the highly contagious Omicron virus variant.

Masks were already compulsory outdoors in crowded central areas of Rome, following an order by the city’s mayor Roberto Gualtieri earlier this month.

However as of 23 December this obligation will apply throughout the city and across the Lazio region.

Italy weighs up new covid restrictions as Omicron concerns grow

The new measures, in place every day until 23 January 2022, will not apply to children under six, to those with disabilities or to people engaged in physical exercise such as jogging.

Zingaretti described the move as “a precautionary but essential measure for safeguarding our health and that of our loved ones at a time like this.”

The order also includes a requirement for healthcare workers, in both the public and private sector, to undergo covid testing every 10 days.

Wearing masks outdoors is compulsory in low-moderate risk ‘yellow’ zones, under Italy’s system of coronavirus restrictions, with seven regions in this category as of Monday: Alto Adige, Calabria, Fruili-Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Marche, Trentino and Veneto.

The rest of Italy is, for now, in the lowest-risk ‘white’ zone, although the threat of possible yellow zone restrictions hangs over Lazio (Rome) and Lombardia (Milan) for the new year.

Italy’s health minister Roberto Speranza said on Sunday that there is “an element of concern” within the government over the evolving covid situation, and urged people to “avoid gatherings as much as possible during the Christmas holidays.”

Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera reported on Saturday that the possible new restrictions up for discussion could include extending compulsory vaccination to additional sectors of workers and requiring covid tests for crowded venues such as night clubs, including for people who have been vaccinated.

Italy’s premier Mario Draghi confirmed on Monday that the government is considering new restrictions however he stressed that no decisions have been made ahead of Thursday’s meeting.