The Italian government just ordered the entire country to go on lockdown
Italy is effectively on lockdown in response to the coronavirus outbreak. The government has extended to the whole of the country the restrictions it had introduced previously in Milan, Venice and surrounding areas. The measures include curtailing freedom of movement, canceling all public events, shutting down museums and most public places and closing all schools and universities.
That means a nation of 60 million is sequestered indoors, and tourism, while not banned outright, will become extremely difficult. Flights into and out of the country are still operating and hotels are functioning, but pretty much all tourist sights are closed.
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Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said at a press conference on Monday that all non-essential travel — i.e. not for work or emergency reasons — is forbidden throughout the country as of Tuesday morning, although it isn't yet clear how this will be enforced. Conte was quoted by Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica as saying that "limiting public transport is not being considered" so that "people can go to work," yet also said that people should stay home.
Bars and restaurants will not be closed, but are allowed to open only between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Flight-tracking site FlightRadar24 showed several flights operating in and out of Milan and Rome airports on Monday at 5 p.m. Eastern Time, but it's unclear how this will change. The largest airline in Italy by passengers carried, Ryanair, canceled many of its flights in the north of the country; flag carrier Alitalia has suspended all flights from Milan's Malpensa (MXP) airport and all international flights from the city's other airport, Linate (LIN). International flights from Rome are still running, although with reduced schedules. The Italian civil aviation authority said, as quoted by Rome-based newspaper La Repubblica, that "all airports, including those within restricted areas, are open and operational."
Related reading: Complete guide to traveling during the deadly coronavirus outbreak
According to Italy's Civil Protection Department, people who are known to have contracted the COVID-19 virus in Italy are now 7,985 and 463 have died.
"There's no more time, " Conte said on Monday, adding that "we must change our habits and change them now."
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| 2X miles | 2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| 5X miles | 5 miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel |
| 10X miles | 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel |
Intro Offer
Earn 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200K miles when you spend $150K in the first 6 monthsLIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus milesAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
The Capital One Venture X Business Card has all the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has to offer and more. It offers an incredible welcome bonus and requires an equally impressive spend to qualify. In addition, the card comes with premium travel perks like annual travel credit. (Partner offer)Pros
- The Capital One Venture X business card has a very lucrative welcome offer.
- In addition, the card comes with many premium travel perks such as an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Business Travel.
- Business owners are also able to add employee cards for free.
Cons
- The card requires significant spending to earn the welcome offer.
- Another drawback is that the annual travel credit can only be used on bookings made through Capital One Business Travel.
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Earn up to 400K bonus miles: 200K miles when you spend $30K in the first 3 months, and an additional 200k miles when you spend $150k in the first 6 months
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
- Earn 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Business Travel
- With no preset spending limit, enjoy big purchasing power that adapts so you can spend more and earn more rewards
- Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
- Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Every year, you'll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings made through Capital One Business Travel
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®. Enjoy access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and Priority Pass™ lounges, after enrollment
- Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
- This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month