Industry News
Today was supposed to be the day. The day Italians were finally allowed back on their ski slopes. But eager powderhounds will now have to wait for a further 11-days – at least.
When Italy, along with the majority of Europe, went into lockdown and shut their ski resorts in November to help slow the spread of covid-19, the 7th of January was pinpointed as the day resorts could reopen.
However, the Health Minister announced on Saturday that that date will now be January 18th due to ongoing government concern over continued coronavirus infections.
The closure of the ski resorts was extended at the regional authorities’ request, who requested more time to meet coronavirus regulations.
“At the present time, due to the recent epidemiological trend at international level that has not facilitated the taking of the necessary decisions, it is believed that the conditions do not exist to allow initiatives and actions to allow the opening of the facilities on January 7.”
– regional authorities
Crowding, especially inside gondolas, in lift-lines, and during après ski, was highlighted as a ‘medium-risk’ factor by the government’s scientific-technical committee.
The Italian government declared The Aosta Valley, Lombardy, and Piedmont as ‘Red Zones,’ meaning people can only leave their homes for essential reasons. Unfortunately, despite what we might think, skiing is not deemed essential.
The three areas, home to the country’s biggest and best ski areas, began the strictest form of lockdown on Friday 6th November 2020. Calabria, in the south of the country, joined them.
The rules of the lockdown are:
- No one will be able to leave or enter a “red zone”
- Citizens must stay home, except to go to work or shop for essentials
- Citizens can also exercise near their homes but must wear masks
- Factories will remain open, as will essential services such as pharmacies and supermarkets
Italy has seen 2,201,945 confirmed covid-19 cases and 76,877 deaths with covid.
Italy’s ski areas have announced they won’t open on Monday, January 18th, as had been hoped with the Italian Government now saying they will now not open until at least February 15th because of, “the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic.”