The Italian Prime Minister Conte signed another decree of new precautions for Italian who live in areas which are hit the most from coronavirus outbreak.

The professionals of healthcare of any corner of the world are cohesive on this coronavirus outbreak: without a strong and coherent response, it will be calamity.

“I’m considering the political responsibility for the decisions we are going to take.” It’s 3 am of March, 8 and the Italian Prime Minister Conte just ended the emergency meeting with the Ministers. During the night, they announced new drastic and necessary precutions to preserve health of the entire nation.

Coronavirus outbreak, the actions to stem COVID-19 in Italy:

These are important choices, decided to respond to the current coronavirus outbreak: until April, 3 the ITalian Governement declared a ban on entry and exit from the Lombardy and from 14 Italian provinces between Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna and Marche.

The “red area” involves Modena, Parma, Piacenza, Reggio Emilia, Rimini, Pesaro and Urbino, Venice, Padua, Treviso, Asti, Alessandria, Novara, Vercelli and Verbano Cusio Ossola. That is to say: 16 million of Italians.

Coronavirus outbreak, what does the decree on COVID-19

For Red Areas:

There are many implications of the decree on COVID-19.

– Until April 3, stop moving from red areas to other areas of the country, but also within the same territories, except for important reasons, like important and work needs which cannot be postponed, or in case of emergency situations”;

– in case of symptoms that could lead to suspicion of a airway infection, it is “strongly recommended” to stay at home and limit physical contacts with people;

– it is absolutely forbidden for people in quarantine to leave the assigned quarantine area;

– sport events and shows are suspended, except for professional ones, if held behind closed doors and under the supervision of the medical staff of the sports club;

– it is strongly recommended that employers allow employees to take ordinary holidays and leave;

– all events are suspended in public or private places, from culture to sport. This includes religious ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. In places of worship people must keep the minimum distance of one meter;

– cinemas, theaters, pubs, betting shops and discos are closed at least until April 3;

– schools and universities remain closed, which can continue their activities only with telematic training; the exceptions are the courses of specialization of the recent graduates in Medicine and the traineeships of the health professions;

– public competitions are suspended;

– catering and bars can operate only from 6 to 18, always keeping in force the rule of distance of at least one meter between people;

– other commercial activities must provide services only for a limited number of people at a time and avoid gatherings: also in this case the rule of the distance meter must be applied;

– ordinary leave is suspended for medical and health personnel and for those involved in crisis units;

– in the social-health structures everything must take place remotely or in any case, where a physical presence is necessary, guaranteeing the rule of distance meter;

– shopping centers and the like can only operate from Monday to Friday. Even for them the rule of the distance meter applies. Exceptions to the limitations are pharmacies, parapharmacies and food shops;

– the suitability tests are suspended at the civil motorisation in the areas of the red zone;

Coronavirus outbreak, what the decree on COVID-19

For the rest of Italy:

– stops of conferences, reunions, meetings for the rest of the country;

– stop of events, events and shows of any nature held in any place, public or private;

– stop of initiatives of pubs, dance schools, game rooms, betting and bingo rooms, discos or similar places;

– closure of museums and cultural institutes;

– catering can take place, but the rule of distance must be applied;

– the limit of accesses in common places  is recommended, and compliance with the rule of the meter for all commercial activities;

– stop at sporting events and competitions, which however must not foresee the presence of the public and must take place under the control of medical personnel of the clubs;

– all educational services and teaching activities are suspended, without prejudice to the possibility of lessons remotely, and therefore remotely;

– educational trips are suspended;

– relatives and carers of people accompanied to the emergency departments and acceptance of the emergency room cannot remain in the waiting rooms;

– smart working can be chosen by employers even in the absence of individual agreements required by law;

– employers are strongly recommended to facilitate the use of ordinary leave and holidays;

– opening to places of worship is allowed but only in compliance with the rule of the meter. Civil and religious ceremonies are suspended, including funerals;

Article 3 establishes the “information and prevention measures on the national territory”

The first paragraph requires the application of the following measures:

a) Healthcare workers comply with the appropriate prevention measures for the spread of respiratory infections provided by the World Health Organization and apply the indications for sanitization and disinfection of environments provided by the Ministry of Health;

b) an express recommendation is made to all the elderly or people with pathologies to avoid leaving the house outside the cases of strict necessity;

c) it is recommended to limit trips, where possible, to strictly necessary cases;

d) subjects with symptoms of respiratory infection and fever (37.5 °) are strongly recommended not to go out, limiting social contacts;

e) tables with public health and hygiene information for prevention are posted in schools and public offices;

f) the statutory auditors and trade associations promote the dissemination of information for prevention;

g) it is recommended that municipalities and other local authorities and cultural and sports associations offer individual recreational activities as an alternative to collective ones, promoting and promoting outdoor activities without creating gatherings;

h) in public offices, in offices open to the public and in areas of access to healthcare facilities, hand disinfectant solutions are made available to users and visitors;

i) in carrying out insolvency and public procedures, measures are taken to reduce close contacts ensuring the interpersonal distance of one meter to the participants;

l) public transport companies, even long-distance ones, take extraordinary measures to sanitize vehicles;

m) whoever entered Italy after having stayed in an epidemiological risk area in the 14 days prior to the date of publication of the decree, must notify the ASL of belonging. From the second to the 4th paragraph are indicated the prescriptions and procedures to be followed by public health operators who come into contact with people who request the intervention of the ASL or medical structures or who are subject to surveillance.

Paragraph 5 establishes that persons in surveillance in the event of symptoms appearing warn the general practitioner and the public health operator responsible for coordination; wear a surgical mask; remain in their room with the door closed ensuring adequate natural ventilation pending transfer to the hospital, where necessary.

Article 4 sets the rules for the “monitoring of measures”, entrusted to the prefect who can take advantage of the collaboration of law enforcement, firefighters and armed forces.

Article 5 instead contains the final provisions.

In conclusion, the Italian Government suggests to follow all the recommendation issued and the health information of the WHO

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