The CTS panel of experts advising the
government on the battle against COVID-19 has given the
all-clear to increasing the number of people that can watch
cultural and sporting events live.
Stadiums will be able to sell tickets up to 75% of their full
capacity, compared to 50% at the moment, while cinemas and
theatres will be allowed to go up to 80%.
There will be no capacity restrictions for museums although they
will be obliged to make sure social distancing is respected.
Everyone taking part in such events is obliged to have the Green
Pass vaccine passport.
League leader Matteo Salvini argued the move does not go far
enough, saying "our request is to reopen everything for
everyone".
Sports Undersecretary Valentina Vezzali, the multiple gold medal
former fencer, said the government was working towards having
100% in-person crowds at sports events as soon as possible.
Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa said he thought that
discotheques could be reopened with the Green Pass vaccine
passport and while restricting capacity.
There have been 2,985 new cases of COVID-19 in Italy in the last
24 hours, and 65 more victims of the virus, the health ministry
said Tuesday.
That compares with 1,772 new cases and 45 more victims Monday.
Some 338,425 more tests have been done, compared with 124,077
Monday.
The positivity rate is down from 1.4% to 0.88%.
Intensive care cases are down 29, and hospital admissions down
69.
The currently positive have dropped below 100,000, by 2,208 in
the last 24 hours to 98,872, the ministry said.
The case tally since the start of the epidemic is now 4,665,049,
and the death toll 130,807.
The recovered and discharged are 4,435,370, up 5,105 on Monday.
Farm Minister Stefano Patuanelli is self-isolating after coming
into contact with a COVID-19-positive person, the minister
himself said Tuesday.
He said he had been in "close contact" with the virus-infected
person.
Patuanelli is in Florence.
He made the announcement at the video presentation of a future
British American Tobacco hub in Trieste.
The Telegram messaging app has blocked the anti-vaccine 'Basta
Dittatura' (No More Dictatorship) channel and chat group after
Turin prosecutors asked the company to do so as an act of
"voluntary cooperation".
The chat and channel were used by groups that are against
vaccines and against the Green Pass COVID-19 vaccine passport.
They were used to publish the telephone numbers of some
government offices and of politicians and doctors that the
anti-vax groups are hostile towards.
Politicians, journalists and health officials and experts have
been threatened by anti-vax extremists in Italy and in some
cases attacked.
"This channel and chat group incited violence against doctors
who carry out vaccinations," said Telegram founder Pavel Durov.
"They published private data of specific doctors and called for
their execution. "Inciting violence is against Telegram's terms
of service".
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