Italy has decided to keep ski resorts closed, which were supposed to reopen on Monday, due to the spread of coronavirus variants, including the British variant, announced the Ministry of Health on Sunday, February 14.
This decision comes as the British variant now accounts for 17.8% of new cases in Italy, according to statistical data from the Italian health agency.
“The concern raised by the spread of this variant, among other SARS-CoV-2 variants, has led to similar measures in France and Germany,” stated the Ministry of Health in the announcement.
Lombardy, a region in northern Italy, had announced on Wednesday the reopening of its alpine skiing facilities from February 15, marking the first authorization to open ski lifts in the country after weeks of closure due to the Covid-19 epidemic. This decision was made following a favorable opinion from the panel of experts advising the Italian government on battling the epidemic.
But this Sunday, due to new data from the Italian health agency, new restrictions have been decided in Abruzzo, Liguria, Tuscany, and in the autonomous province of Trento, which were “yellow” and have become “orange.” The Ministry of Health can change the classification of regions into different colored zones based on data provided by a report released every week.
Many experts were warning against reopenings while the epidemic continues to persist in the country.
