Italians could be encouraged to leave cities and move to abandoned villages to lessen the risk of future pandemics. Some of the country’s best-known architects are among those urging policymakers to incentivise an exodus to the nation’s numerous ghost towns, according to AFP.

Italy, which as of May 7 had the second highest Covid-19 death rate in Europe, began easing lockdown restrictions on May 4 with residents now allowed to visit relatives in small numbers and move around their own regions.