Cinemas and theatres in Italy will be allowed to fill almost all their audience seats again in future after a coronavirus expert commission advocated a capacity utilization of 80 per cent, and even 100 per cent for outdoor events.
The prerequisite for this is that the cultural institutions are located in so-called white zones, that is regions with low Covid-19 numbers, and that every guest has a valid "green passport," a certificate that is proof of vaccination, convalescence or a negative coronavirus test.
In addition, the experts recommend wearing masks during performances.
In future, museums will even be able to use their entire visitor quota - always provided they have the green passport.
The culture industry does not think that the relaxations, which are to be anchored in a legislative decree by the government this week, go far enough.
The commission's decisions are "insufficient and not objectively justified," the authors' and publishers' association Siae criticized. "Paradoxically, in Italy we have the highest vaccination rates, but also the most restrictive measures."
They criticize also the fact that no solution has yet been found for dance clubs, which must remain closed. Because the safety precautions that have become customary in public spaces are hardly observed there, politicians are still hesitating about relaxing the rules.
