The Duomo of Florence will distribute electronic distance necklaces to its visitors

Beep, beep ... You are too close! In anticipation of its next reopening to visitors, the famous cathedral of Florence, in Tuscany (central Italy), has set up a system of sound boxes to be worn around the neck, making it possible to respect social distancing to avoid the spread of the new coronavirus. "This is a device (...) provided free of charge to tourists at the beginning of the visit that signals with a sound, vibration and light than the minimum permitted distance (between two people, note) has not been respected, " said a press release from the Duomo.

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This safety distance has been set at two meters for the cathedral. "The first in the world to use it in museums, this system guarantees maximum security and comfort during the visit," says the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, located in the heart of Florence's old town.

The device in the form of a necklace, which does not trace movements and does not collect data, will be disinfected after each use, according to the same source. "Santa Maria del Fiore, the entity that manages the cathedral, the Baptistery of St. John, the bell tower and the museum of the Opera del Duomo, intends to open its doors to the inhabitants of Florence, and to all those who will come to Florence in the next few days, " said Timothy Verdon, director of the Opera del Duomo Museum, in a video provided by the museum. “The monuments and the museum will be visited with a reduced number of people. During this initial period, the visit will be free, it is a gesture, to welcome people again, ”he added.

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The statement said that the entire Duomo complex " is preparing to reopen " to tourists but does not specify the date envisaged. The Italian government will reopen from June 3 the country's external borders, as well as those inside between the 20 regions, from June 3. This measure should help the tourism sector, which has been shattered by the containment of the population since March 10 due to the Covid-19 pandemic which left nearly 32,000 people dead on the peninsula. In Rome, the Basilica of Saint Peter opens its doors to visitors on Monday.