Milan is in the Covid-19 Orange Zone (again), What Now?

(MILAN, updated February 27,2021) Italy was assigned a new color code classification system in November 2020 classifying the Covid-19 criticality of each region. Red, Orange or Yellow indicate what kind of lockdown or shelter in place restrictions are implemented. Color codes are assigned by the government and Minister of Health and will depend on the degree of risk and local statistics reported in each region. Every two weeks regional statistics are examined and re-evaluated.

In January 2021, a new low risk category “White” was introduced and in February, Sardinia became the first “white zone”.

Color codes

• White, low risk
• Yellow, moderate criticality
• Orange, medium to high criticality
• Red, high alert

Update: As of February 27, 2021 Italy regions have been re-evaluated and assigned new color codes:

•  White area : Sardinia;
• Yellow area : Calabria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Puglia, Sicily, Valle d’Aosta, Veneto;   
•  Orange area : Abruzzo, Campania, Emilia Romagna, Lombardy, Marche, Piedmont, Tuscany, Autonomous Province of Bolzano, Autonomous Province of Trento, Umbria;
•  Red area : Basilicata, Molise. 

Some isolated areas and communities have been designated as “red” or “dark orange” (with strengthened enforcement, road blocks and checks), click here to learn more about Strengthened Orange Zone for Some Areas in Lombardy from March 3, 2021.

Regions are re-evaluated every 15 days.

Update: The general state of emergency in Italy has been extended to April 30, 2021.

Italy Orange zone at a glance:

Open in the Italy Orange Zones

• Schools for nursery, elementary and middle school levels
• High school and university laboratory or exams (all other learning is remote)
• Retail stores and boutiques
• Malls and shopping centers (weekdays)
• Hairdressers, barbers, beauticians
• Private healthcare facilities, rehabilitation centers
• Travel within town without self-sign declaration is permitted
• Public transportation limited to 50%.
• Places of worship can carry out ceremonies following anti-covid protocols
• Competitive sport events can carry on without spectators

Closed in the Italy Orange Zones

• Restaurants, bars, cafes (take-away until 10pm is permitted)
• Malls and shopping centers (weekends/holidays)
• Pools and gyms
• Museums, exhibitions, galleries, cinemas, and theatres
• Bingo and betting centers
• Region to region and town to town travel is prohibited
• Trade fairs are suspended
• Amateur/ non-competitive sport events are prohibited

Milan is in the Orange zone, what now?

Milan in Lombardy has been classified as orange, a medium to high alert area.

ORANGE ZONE MEASURES

Curfew

From 10pm to 5am throughout Italy it is forbidden to leave your home except for work or warranted reason such as health or medical reasons. During the day it is recommended to not travel or use public or private means of transport, except for work, study, or for health/medical purposes or necessity or to use services which have not been suspended (pharmacies, supermarkets, hairdressers etc.) A self-signed declaration is not necessary.

Local Travel & Transportation

Region to region and town to town travel is prohibited except for warranted reasons such as work or for health. You do not need a self-signed declaration to move about within your community.

Travel for work or other warranted reasons between provinces and communities is allowed with the self-signed certificate. Travel outside of a Orange Zone is prohibited.

Public transport will remain operational and allow 50% capacity and no more than 80%. 

Stores & Businesses

• Retail stores are open. Malls and shopping centers will remain closed on weekends and holidays, except food stores, pharmacies, newsagents and tobacconists. 
• Bars, pubs, restaurants, ice cream parlors, pastry shops remain closed: except for take-away and home delivery which is allowed up to 10 pm (national curfew).
• Hairdressers and beauticians are open. Private medical and care facilities remain open.
• Museum, galleries, theatres and cinemas are closed. However, theatre productions can be performed without an audience and broadcasted on TV or live streaming.
• Gaming, Bingo and Betting halls are closed.
• Industrial and commercial production may continue to do business, provided that all anti-covid protocols are respected. 
• Places of worship can carry out ceremonies following anti-covid protocols.
• Competitive sport events can carry on without spectators.

Schools

Nursery schools, elementary schools and middle school (seconda media) are open for in class learning. Distance /online learning is mandatory for high schools and universities. Children older than six years of age will be required to wear masks in class. Universities and upper education must follow all anti-covid protocols.

Sport

Individual sport practice outdoors such as cycling, walking, jogging, individual yoga is allowed provided that you stay near your home. You must wear a mask and keep a one-meter distance from other people. 

Parks and public gardens will remain open. 

Amateur and non-competitive team sports have been suspended. Only events and competitions which are organized on a national or international level and recognized by national sport associations CONI and CIP are allowed. Events are to be held inside sports facilities behind closed doors or outdoors without the presence of the public.

Gyms, swimming pools, wellness centers, and spas are closed, as well as cultural centers, social centers and recreation centers, except for those defined as centers providing assistance, for example physiotherapy.

Travel

Airline travel is still in operation but is limited and discouraged.

Cruise and passenger ships have been suspended. Foreign-flagged cruise ships are permitted to enter Italian ports exclusively for the purpose of ‘idle’ parking. 

All health measures may be susceptible to change and modification.

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What to do if you suspect you have Covid-19:

• call your family doctor
• call the toll free Covid-19 hotline 1500
• find a covid-19 testing center near you*
  
  **Covid-19 testing is covered by the public health system if you have a referral from your family doctor. Private testing is also available in hospitals and clinics.

For Covid-19 information and national updates consult the Italian Ministry of Health website

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Article by Anthony Ryan, Easy Milano