Italy to shut shops and schools amid infection spike
Rome, Mar 13(UNI) Italian authorities announced on Friday that shops, restaurants and schools will be closed across the country on Monday, as PM Mario Draghi warned of a “new wave” of the coronavirus outbreak.
For three days over Easter, April 3-5, there will be a total shutdown across the country.
Italy, which one year ago imposed one of the first national lockdowns and was one of the worst affected countries from the coronavirus in the world is once again struggling to contain the rapid spread of infections.
The country has reported more than 100,000 COVID-related deaths, Europe’s second highest tally after the UK.
Like the rest of the European Union Italy’s vaccination campaign has been hit by delays in the delivery of the vaccines.
Last week the government in Rome blocked the export of 250,000 doses of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine to Australia in a bid to address shortfalls of vaccines.
(UNI)