Italians Flock Around the City Before New Lockdown

Italians rushed to parks, central shopping streets and hair salons before most of the country heads back into lockdown Monday to try to curb a surge in coronavirus cases. Warm temperatures and sunny weather pushed people outside for picnics, a tradition for Easter Monday, which falls during the new lockdown on April 5. Many young people gathered without masks for a last aperitivo, prompting police to issue 1,338 fines on Friday. Hair dressers and beauty salons also saw a 100% increase in bookings, la Repubblica reported, citing Confesercenti, the country’s retail trade association. “The phone hasn’t stopped ringing, clients are desperate to make an appointment before the lockdown,” said Daniela Santoni, who runs a hair dresser in central Rome Trastevere. She’s among the businesses that opted to stay open on Sunday. Paola Braga, who runs a beauty salon in Arese near Milan had to extend shifts to accommodate customers. To prevent crowds like in the recent past, police controls in cen