Italy's red-zone regions go into soft lockdown

These regions have the toughest restrictions under this system after being classed as high-contagion-risk red zones, ANSA reports.

Puglia and Sicily face slightly less stringent restrictions as they have been classed as medium-high risk 'orange zones' while the rest of the country is moderate risk - yellow.

Under the restrictions, which apply until, December 3, ron-essential shops and markets are closed in red zones and travel outside one's home town is banned, except for work or health reasons.

People are only able to do exercise near to their homes but, unlike in the national lockdown imposed earlier this year, barbers and hairdressers can stay open.

As with the rest of the nation, distance learning is being used for high school students but, in the red zones, it is also being used for pupils in the second and third year of middle school.

The atmosphere in Piedmont's capital Turin on Friday, for example, was considerably less quiet that during the total lockdown of March and April.

The streets of the city centre were not deserted, with parents taking children to school, and cafes open for takeaway services.

In the orange zones most non-essential shops will be able to stay open but bars and restaurants must close, apart from for takeaway services.

The restrictions are part of the latest in a series of package seeking to fight the spread of the coronavirus after a sharp upswing in contagion.

Among other things, the package also brings in a nationwide curfew. People will only be allowed to be out of the home from 22:00 to 05:00 for work or health reasons.

Other nationwide measures are distance learning in high schools, the closure of museums and the closure of shopping malls at weekends.

Under a previous package of restrictions, bars and restaurants throughout Italy must stop serving customers at 18:00 and the nation's cinemas, theatres, swimming pools and gyms have been closed.