Italy enters Christmas lockdown amid signs of resurgence Police in Italy are enforcing new COVID-19 travel restrictions aimed at limiting far-flung families from gathering over ChristmasROME -- Police in Italy enforced new COVID-19 travel restrictions aimed at limiting Christmas get-togethers involving far-flung family members as public health officials appealed Thursday for a “drastic reduction" in social contacts to prevent new infections over the holidays. A modified nationwide lockdown went into effect on Christmas Eve with restrictions and closures similar to the 10 weeks of hard lockdown the Italian government enforced from March to May, when Italy became the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe. Italy, which had been under localized restrictions since early November, saw an exponential rise in infections slow since then. The government urged Italians to limit their Christmas Eve “cenone" dinners to no more than two individuals who do not share the same household. But Christmas Eve grocery runs proved to be crowded affairs as they often are this time of year.

Source: ABC News December 24, 2020 14:26 UTC