Is curfew used to stop infection?

“The curfew raises bad things, we all have a will to overcome it, but it takes gradually so that the virus is not allowed to restart.” The words of the Minister of Regional Affairs and Autonomy Maristella Gelmini summarize the government’s intentions regarding the night-out ban, which was passed six months ago: the curfew in Italy remains in line with the decree with new measures for the gradual resumption of economic activities, in effect from April 26 to July 31. Despite complaints from Salvini, some district governors, restaurants, and cultural workers who consider themselves sanctioned by this measure, the curfew will only be gradually lifted, but the timing is not yet known.

The Scientific Technical Committee has confirmed, according to reports by Gilmeni and Minister of Agricultural Policy Stefano Patuanelli, that the curfew at the moment remains in effect from 22 to 5. However, there is a certain dissatisfaction among CTS technicians regarding attribution. From “an indication to keep the curfew limit at 22.” It was always a political decision. Actually we never talked about curfews – Agi explained – because it was always a political evaluation, and we never made any request to do so. “

Because the curfew in Italy lasts from 10 PM to 5 AM

The regions conference had proposed an extension of one hour, until 11 pm, to allow activities to have a minimum of rest, within the limits of anti-Coronavirus rules. Nothing to do, at least for now. The government chooses the path of caution for two reasons: the infection curve remains high (today 364 deaths and 13,844 new cases) and for this reason the risk of a mutation in the epidemic curve in conjunction with the reopening should not be underestimated. The potential evening gatherings favored by open spaces could provide tremendous assistance to the spread of the virus, and that is the logic of the strict wing of the Executive. Then there is the vaccination campaign that has yet to start quickly, as the target of 500,000 administrations was not met on the day set by Emergency Commissioner Fegliolo.

In any case, the Draghi government is confident that correct behavior in the coming weeks will lead us to go from 10pm to 11pm and then 12pm until the curfew is completely lifted, but there is no exact timing currently. The idea is to gradually ease restrictions, as they did last year, to return to normal in the summer.

What happens to the curfew in other countries?

What is happening elsewhere? In this third wave of the epidemic, many countries have adopted a ban on moving in the evening to stop the Coronavirus infection. Some, like the United Kingdom and the United States, have lifted curfews thanks to improved epidemiological data and a very fast vaccination campaign.

France was the first country in Europe to choose a curfew, which remains in effect six months after its application, even during times when the lockdown has been relaxed and then lifted. At the regional level as early as October, in eight departments, including Paris, it was imposed from 9 pm until 6 am, then it was gradually extended to the rest of the national territory and introduced: from the end of December it was in strength from seven in the evening Until six in the morning despite the growing protests of citizens. France is currently the most restricted country in Europe in terms of curfews.

In Germany, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, worried about the progression of the pandemic, has changed the Health Protection Act, introducing the first-ever night curfew enacted last week, from 21 to 5 a.m. According to the plan, known as “emergency braking,” the curfew and other restrictions on travel and social communication will be activated automatically when more than one hundred injuries per 100,000 people are exceeded.

In the UK, on ​​its way to a gradual exit from restrictive measures after more than three months of lockdown, the night curfew has also been lifted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales are easing all restrictions and reopening all commercial activities without time restrictions, but there are still some restrictions on gatherings.

In Spain, the curfew is in effect from 11 pm-6 am, with bars opening and the possibility of dining at tables, providing some freedom for Spaniards and tourists who invaded the country after the borders opened. The national pandemic alert, which was approved in October 2020, will expire on May 9 and will not be renewed, as announced by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Portugal is also proceeding with its gradual exit from confinement: shops and malls are open until 9 pm, bars, restaurants and pastry shops until 10:30 pm, effectively canceling the previous curfew that was in effect from 10 pm to 5 am.

In the Netherlands, the curfew will end on Wednesday, April 28. On the same date, the cafes will be able to offer service in the open air, albeit with limited hours. Night travel restrictions – in effect from 10 p.m. – have been in place since January 23, but it was a controversial measure with popular uprisings and a court battle that ended with a green light from the proven Hague Court of Appeals. The government is positive about the curfew, considering “the exceptional circumstances of the epidemic.”

Despite the new increase in infections, there is no curfew in Russia. In Moscow, for example, it was removed by the mayor at the end of January, with complete freedom to reopen restaurants, bars and nightclubs. In the United States, on the other hand, starting in February and more importantly from March, individual states have gradually removed curfews that had previously been in effect starting at 10 PM or 11 PM.

The case of Brazil, which has become the global epicenter of the epidemic, is paradoxical. Here restrictions are determined by the governments of the individual states. In Rio de Janeiro, the most populous state, despite the high number of victims, the governor has begun a transition phase that anticipates the reopening of restaurants, beauty salons, cinemas and theaters from April 24, but the curfew will remain in effect between 8 pm and 5 am in Argentina, After a series of records in the curve of injuries and Covid victims, particularly in Buenos Aires, the government imposed a curfew from 8 to 6 a.m., which is currently in effect for another two weeks in the capital, metropolitan area.

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