The first two cases of Covid-19 in Italy were detected and isolated in Rome on January 31, 2020. On February 21, a new cluster emerged in Lombardy—the region that would ultimately bear the brunt of the pandemic. To slow the virus’s spread, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte imposed a strict lockdown on March 7—initially in the north, then nationwide—with a ban on walking or exercising more than 200 meters (656 feet) from home. People could go out only for essentials or to walk their dogs. In Milan, queues outside supermarkets easily reached one hour. In May, as the number of active cases began to fall, restrictions were gradually lifted, and bars, restaurants, hairdressers, museums, libraries, shops, churches, and cinemas were allowed to reopen in phases. Face masks remain mandatory in indoor public spaces.
Milan, June 2020
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