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Italy’s progressive easing of COVID-19 restrictions sees nightclubs and bars in the country take a further step back towards normality from this week.

From today (11th October), clubs will be allowed to operate at a capacity of 50% for indoor events, while outdoor events will be able to go ahead at 75% of normal capacity.

The easing of restrictions on clubs in the country is in line with a return for a number of cultural and leisure activities, which also now allows cinemas, theatres and concert venues to fill all of their seats, scrapping the current limit of 50%. 

All of these new measures only apply, however, to holders of the Green Pass, the digital or paper certificate that shows people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recently recovered from COVID-19.

Restrictions have been eased with the help of the Italian Government’s panel of public health advisers. “Finally all cultural events are coming back to life,” Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said on Twitter.

Italy has seen more than 131,000 COVID-related deaths since its outbreak emerged in February last year, and it quickly became one of the worst affected countries in Europe.

Infections, hospitalisations and fatalities have all eased in recent months as the country’s vaccination programme has gathered pace. Around 75% of the country’s 60-million population have had at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 69% are fully vaccinated.

Speaking to AP, Francesco Orcese, who DJs as Richey V and owns Italy’s Void techno club, said he moved “from anguish and depression to actual rage, feeling like an inmate who doesn’t know his release date,” when lockdowns continued to be extended in Italy. Alternating lockdowns and curfews “completely killed the night,” he added.

Nightlife events were blamed for a spike in coronavirus cases in Italy in August 2020, when restrictions were first eased. Clubs were ordered to close their doors once again as a result of the rise.