by In Trieste
Rumor has it, the technical scientific committee (CTS) advising the Italian government has given its approval for restaurants in yellow zone regions to open in the evenings from 5 March.
The relaxing of existing measures, which still requires government approval thus for now it’s just a rumor, would see restaurants open for lunch and dinner in regions classified as low-risk yellow zones.
Currently restaurants in yellow zones are permitted to serve food and drink on their premises from 5 am to 6 pm with take-away until the nationwide curfew at 10 pm.
While the relaxing of measures comes as no surprise, the rest of pandemic rules remain the same, such as the wearing of masks when not at table, no antipasti buffet and restricted seating arrangements.
Struggling Trieste restaurants that try to follow the ricocheting rules have mostly relied on takeout and delivery and have mixed feelings about the upcoming change. For once, they are excited about what seems to be a step towards normalcy but at the same time upset that the measures would not come in place earlier for Valentine’s Day—in a non-pandemic year, one of the hospitality industry’s busiest nights.
We guess Trieste’s lovebirds will need to get a nice takeaway home.
