Sardinia has become Italy's first region to be classed as a low-COVID-19-risk white zone, meaning that many of the restrictions in place in the rest of the country to combat the spread of the coronavirus have been dropped.
As result Governor Christian Solinas signed an order early on Monday enabling bars and pubs to stay open to 21:00, restaurants to serve until 23:00 and moving the night curfew, which kicks in elsewhere at 22:00, until 23:30. Restrictions in several other regions, however, have been increased due to a rise in COVID-19 contagion.
Basilicata and Molise became high-risk red zones on Monday and Lombardy, Marche and Piedmont went from being moderate-risk yellow to medium-high risk orange.
In red zones all restaurants and bars are closed, except for takeaways and home deliveries, and all non-essential shops are closed too.
In orange zones, shops can do business but restaurants and bars must stay closed.
In yellow zones, shops are open and so are bars and restaurants until 6pm.
Emilia-Romagna Governor Stefano Bonaccini, the head of the conference of regional governments, said much of the country was set for some tough weeks.
"March will be very difficult," Bonaccini told Mediaset television on Sunday.
"The third wave (of contagion), which has already hit Germany, England and France, is hitting part of Italy, including Emilia-Romagna.
"So we will be ready for every restriction (necessary) to protect people and bring down the contagion curve, which is rising in a major way, in order to have a better spring and summer".
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