Table 1.
Timeline of main COVID-19 events and responses undertaken by the Italian government
| Date | Main events and policy responses |
|---|---|
| 31-01-2020 | The Italian Council of Ministers declares a 6-month national emergency handing the coordination of the COVID-19 emergency responses to the Head the Civil Protection Department, following the detection of the first two COVID-19 positive people in Rome – two Chinese tourists travelling from Wuhan |
| 21-02-2020 | Detection of the first Italian COVID-19 positive patient in Lombardy, followed by further cases in neighbouring regions of Emilia Romagna and Veneto |
| 23-02-2020 | The Government establishes two ‘lockdown (red) zones’ in both Lombardy and Veneto, with the imposition of the first movement restrictions – travelling from home must be justified on either health, work or ‘necessity’ grounds, e.g. grocery shopping |
| 25-02-2020 | Further restrictive measures introduced in Emilia Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Lombardy, Piedmont and Veneto, incl. school closures in Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy and Veneto; whilst in other regions mentioned and Calabria, schools closed only for 1 week |
| 27-02-2020 | A National Surveillance system, coordinated by the ISS was set up to oversee the collection and collation of daily data from regions and from ISS’ National Laboratory for SARS-CoV-2 through a web portal |
| 01-03-2020 | Creation of ‘red zones’: 10 municipalities in Lombardy, incl. Codogno (first town to be put in lockdown); Veneto, incl. Vo’ (first town to be put in lockdown); other provinces in Emilia Romagna, Marche and Liguria |
| 04-03-2020 | Closure of schools (all stages) and universities in the whole country |
| 08-03-2020 | Extension of lockdown restrictions to all Lombardy and large areas of Northern Italy |
| 09-03-2020 | Partial lockdown restrictions extended to the whole of Italy |
| 11-03-2020 | Closure of restaurants/bars/pubs, except for essential services |
| 17-03-2020 | Decree (no. 18/20, ‘Cura Italia’), which included measure to bolster the SSN, support employment and suspend fiscal obligations |
| 22-03-2020 | Interruption of all non-essential productive activities: complete lockdown |
| 25-03-2020 | Further restrictions imposed to people's movements |
| 27-03-2020 | Peak in the reported number of daily deaths (969) |
| 08-04-2020 | Decree (n. 23/20, ‘Liquidità’), which included temporary measures to facilitate access to loans, support business continuity and corporate liquidity and measures to support export, internationalisation and business investment |
| 04-05-2020 | Reopening of most factories and various wholesale businesses, within pre-set health safety protocols; possibility to visit close relatives |
| 13-05-2020 | Decree (n. 34/20, ‘Rilancio’), which included among others measures to support and bolster hospitals and community-based health care services, increase the number of nurses and reinforce medical education; support business activities and further postpone fiscal obligations; support employment; extend school closure |
| 18-05-2020 | Reopening of bar, restaurants, shops and some social activities (e.g. public worship) |
| 04-06-2020 | Resuming of unrestricted inter-regional movement |
| 15-06-2020 | Resuming of recreational activities (e.g. cinemas and holiday camps) |
| 29-07-2020 | Extension of the state of emergency to 31st October |
| 07-10-2020 | Extension of the state of emergency to 31st January 2021 |
| 24-10-2020 (addressing the second wave) | New restrictive measures to people's movement (public squares to close at 9 pm, curfew from 11 pm to 5 am in some regions); closures of restaurants/bars/pubs from 6 pm; online schooling for 75% of secondary schools and university students; closures of cinemas/theatres/music halls; only outdoor sports/activity is allowed, except for elite sports |