The Council of Ministers dismisses the new decree law with the measures to combat the pandemic emergency and also introduces the white area. The decree also extends the state of emergency until April 30, as anticipated by Minister Roberto Speranza at Parliament. Meanwhile, the pandemic continues to register important numbers.
Today's new positives are 17.246 (yesterday 15.774) while the new deaths are 522 (yesterday 507). The swabs made in the last 24 hours are 160.585 compared to 175.429 yesterday. The discharged healed are 20.115 (yesterday 20.532); overall, the positive cases currently registered in our country are 561.280, 3394 less than yesterday.
New decree effective from January 16
In the meantime, the anti-Covid vaccination campaign is approaching the first million immunized in Italy and is preparing to be intensified in view of the arrival of new vaccines. The goal is to have 250 million doses. Based on the new Dpcm half of Italy could end up on the two lists of high restrictions from next Sunday.
In fact, there are 9 regions and autonomous provinces that risk orange and three even red. The latter color, with the most stringent measures, could be assigned to Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Sicilia. And the limitations set by the last Dpcm expiring on January 15th will remain in place for the next few weeks.
The white zone
The introduction of the white zone is a "signal for the future", commented Minister Speranza. The white zone will be entered on the basis of a series of conditions: three weeks in a row with an incidence of less than 50 cases per 100 thousand inhabitants, Rt under 1 and low risk. The minister made a summary of the measures that will come into force from the 16th: new thresholds for entry into the bands.
You go to the orange zone with RT 1 or with a high overall risk; you go to the red zone with Rt 1.25. And, again, a ban on moving between the regions, including the yellow ones, with the exceptions already provided for. The new decree also includes the extension of the state of emergency until 30 April. In addition, there is still a limit of two people to visit relatives or friends at home.
