Italy’s health minister said new antivirus measures would be launched in Sicily as COVID-19 hospitalizations in the region increase.
Sicily will move to Italy’s “yellow zone,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza said, meaning people must wear a mask inside and out and keep their distance.
It includes some additional capacity restrictions in places where people gather.
This is the first time in two months that measures have been re-imposed against COVID-19 at the regional level.
Sicily has the highest number of people hospitalized and in intensive care due to COVID-19 from the regions of Italy.
“It is confirmed that the virus has not yet been defeated and that the priority is to continue investing in the vaccination campaign,” Speranza said.
The president of the region said the transition should be an “alarm bell,” especially for the unvaccinated.
“What else has to happen for them to be convinced?” said Nello Musumeci in a statement.
Since early August, Italy has launched a “green pass” that required vaccination tests, recovery of COVID-19 or a negative test for certain activities such as eating at a restaurant, cultural centers and other places that receive publicity.
Italy was one of the European countries most affected by COVID-19, with a total of 4.5 million positive cases confirmed since the start of the pandemic and more than 129,000 deaths.