Starting up again

Photo source: https://www.ilpost.it/2020/05/05/notizie-martedi-5-maggio-coronavirus-italia/

Yes, Italy has begun to reopen a little. Laws are set at the national level, then governments of individual regions can set more relaxed or severe versions of those laws based on their context, such as how many cases they have and how prepared their health care system is to handle new cases.

School are definitely online for the rest of the year and wont reopen until next September or later. Street markets can open if local police monitor social distancing. I'm not tempted to go. Last week I rode by the market on my way to the grocery store and there was a super long line to get in. 

Starting yesterday we can visit close family, but not gatherings: check on your parents, but don't invite the aunts. Funerals can take place with maximum 15 people present. Manufacturing can restart. Restaurants can sell takeaway, though honestly some in our town have been doing that all along with the city government's permission. We can do sports in a larger radius from home. Theoretically we could go run or hike anywhere within regional borders, but since Lombardy is still full of infected people (we live in the hardest hit region), local government wants us to be extremely cautious. For example, our mayor said that since we have a couple of parks in our town, we can't legitimatize driving out of the city limits for exercise and would risk getting stopped and fined. No hiking in the mountains yet, my love.

Every time we leave home, we have to wear something to cover mouth and nose, and to access public transportation, we also need to wear gloves. Probably any kind of gloves are alright, but I imagine a ton of plastic is going to be dedicated to single use gloves, thrown away (recycled? Fingers crossed!), and that makes me feel sick. As we approach Summer and the weather heats up, it's going to become ever more torturous to wear the mask and gloves.

Next, starting May 18th, some more shops can open (along the lines of essential), museums, galleries, and libraries who guarantee social distancing can reopen, and professional team sports will be allowed to restart training.

From June 1st, hairdressers can reopen as well as all the other shops, cafés and restaurants.