Italy May Not Reopen Schools Before September, Corriere Reports

(Bloomberg) -- Italy, the original epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe, may not reopen schools before September as the country’s leaders weigh a gradual easing of its lockdown, Il Corriere della Sera reports.

Giuseppe Conte’s government has begun to plan for emerging from nationwide restrictions on movement as the growth in new infections and deaths flattens out. Selected firms could open in mid-April, according to an official familiar with the discussions.

“Italy can’t sustain shutdown of its economic and social activities for long” so the country should plan a “gradual and cautious” restart, the prime minister told his advisers, according to La Repubblica.

Schools, including universities, will be probably be among the last institutions to resume operations, so students won’t return to class during this school year, Italian media reported including Corriere and La Repubblica reported, citing meetings between Conte and his scientific emergency committee.

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