Shops, restaurants and churches across Italy began opening their doors for the first time in weeks on Monday as lockdown restrictions continued to ease in what was once the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak in Europe.
The restrictions were enforced on March 9 to combat the skyrocketing death toll, which has grown to almost 32,000. But with the spread of the virus slowing, Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said it was time to reopen the country to avoid further economic damage. Some Italians went back to work two weeks ago.
"We could wait for a vaccine, but we can’t afford it," he said during a news conference to announce the changes on Saturday announcing the eased measures. "We have to accept [the risks] otherwise we will never be able to restart."
The lockdown has already come at a high price for the whole continent with the European Commission forecasting the economy to contract by as much as 7.5 percent this year.
But in Venice, locals are embracing their abnormally quiet city, still free from the usual crowds of tourists.
"Venice needed a break," Melissa Conn, director of nonprofit art conservation group Save Venice, told NBC News. "Nobody wanted this to happen but ... now we've been forced to do it."
She added that the unexpected break could allow the city to rethink of how heavy a role tourism plays in the economy, which has seen waves of protests by residents against the negative impacts of the sector.
Beauty salons and bars are being allowed to open their doors on a phased basis across the country, as long as they follow government safety measures. If the virus spread remains minimal, the national government said sports centers and gyms can open on May 25, while theaters and cinemas will be allowed to reopen mid-June.
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People can also meet friends again, although distancing is encouraged and large gatherings remain prohibited. Wearing masks remains mandatory indoors and is recommended in crowded outdoor spaces.
Churches are also preparing for congregants to return. Father Riccardo Giacon at Venice's Basilica dei Frari told NBC News that worshippers will have to walk in six feet apart from one another and maintain that distance during mass with seats measured out and marked.
Italy was among several European nations returning to something more like regular life.
Over the weekend, Parisians flocked to green spaces after French officials partially lifted lockdown measures last week. Many people could be seen playing sports, jogging and enjoy nature at the Bois de Boulogne park on the western edge Paris on Saturday, one of the few green spaces allowed to reopen.
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Worshippers in Greece attended church services on Sunday for the first time in two months after the country's ban on mass gatherings was eased.
Belgium, which has been one of the worst-hit countries with over 9,000 deaths among its population of 11.5 million, was also easing its lockdown Monday. Markets, museums and zoos were allowed to open again while schools were partially reopened.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
