Covid-induced emergency ends in Italy after two years

ROME, April 1

Italy on Friday began to phase out its Covid pandemic restrictions, ending a state of emergency public authorities declared more than two years ago that allowed it to bypass bureaucracy and swiftly impose rules via decrees.

The state of emergency was introduced on January 31, 2020, but Prime Minister Mario Draghi’s government announced plans in March to return to normal after deciding not to extend it.

It officially ended on Thursday. “A new phase is beginning … This does not mean that the pandemic is over. There is no ‘off’ button that magically makes the virus disappear,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza told a newspaper. Italy was the first Western country to be clobbered by the disease and it has registered 1,59,383 deaths, the eighth highest tally in the world, and more than 14.6 million cases.

Daily infections have risen again in Italy since the beginning of March, as they have in many other European countries, but they have stabilised in the last week, according to data from the think tank Gimbe. The government has lifted attendance limits for outdoor and indoor sports venues, along with a requirement that anyone over the age of 50 should be vaccinated to enter their place of work. — Reuters

Thousands return as Malaysia fully reopens

Kuala Lumpur: Thousands of Malaysians working in Singapore returned home on Friday as Malaysia fully reopened its borders after more than two years of pandemic closure. Many had lined up at the border since late Thursday and crossed over at midnight. AP