Face masks will no longer be compulsory in Italy, as from June 28.

The Italian Health Minister ROBERTO SPERANZA said the lifting of the mask requirement would come into effect in regions labelled as white zones, which includes all Italian regions except the tiny Aosta Valley in the far northwest.

The announcement came on advice from Italy’s scientific advisory panel, although citizens are urged to still have masks at hand for events with a higher risk of spreading the virus.

To be classified as a white zone in Italy, a region must have registered fewer than 50 covid-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants for three consecutive weeks.