The anti-Covid Christmas lockdown is triggered today: all of Italy enters the red zone until the 27th. Yesterday, last minute shopping rush in retail stores, now closed by decree.
The last purchase, the last minute gift, but also the last walk before Christmas waiting for the 'traffic light' of the national maxi-zone to turn red.
In the big cities the main shopping streets have been stormed, from Milan to Rome to Turin.
Last remnants of business, most likely, before the start of the winter sales.
Thus, many shopkeepers throughout Italy, in view of the intermittent closures of the next fifteen days, have decided to say enough.
And to 'say it' in large letters, with clear and round signs in the window.
Already today, however, controls for compliance with the rules will be intensified in the big cities.
But in the meantime, Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte reassures us: the Christmas squeeze could allow us to face January "dosing the measures only where necessary between the yellow, orange and red areas".
Supermarkets and pharmacies remain open.
Meanwhile, the threshold of 70,000 victims from Covid since the beginning of the pandemic in Italy has been exceeded.
