Italy to drop mask requirement outdoors as case numbers fall
Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced the decree late on Tuesday evening
The Italian health authorities plan to lift the requirement that people wear masks outdoors on Friday, as case numbers fall.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced the decree late on Tuesday evening.
However, Italians will still be required to carry masks with them and to wear them, especially in large crowds, he said.
The mask requirement still applies indoors, in a regulation that is to remain in force until March 31 at the earliest.
Italy's pandemic-related state of emergency is also in place until that date.
In Italy, case numbers have dropped significantly in recent days. Officials recorded nearly 102,000 new infections on Tuesday, down from more than twice that level just three weeks ago.