Italy will begin a staged reopening from May 4. Manufacturers, construction companies and some wholesalers will be allowed to reopen from May 4, followed by retailers two weeks later. Restaurants and bars will be allowed to reopen fully from the beginning of June, although takeaway business will be possible earlier. "The reopening is allowed on condition that all companies involved strictly respect security protocols in the workplace," Conte said, adding that the reopening would lay the ground for deeper reforms of the economy in the months ahead. Hit hard by the virus weeks before other major Western countries, Italy has been forced to serve as a model for how to fight it.

Source: Otago Daily Times April 27, 2020 01:41 UTC