Some of Italy’s worst-hit regions have started testing people to see if they have developed antibodies to the coronavirus, in which case they could be allowed to return to work.

With the Italian economy suffering levels of contraction not witnessed since the darkest days of the Second World War, getting the country back on its feet is an urgent priority. Italy’s GDP is forecast to shrink by around 10 per cent this year.

If some people are found to have developed immunity to Covid-19 then they would be able to return to work without the risk of getting infected or spreading the disease.

The Veneto region, which includes Venice, plans to test 100,000 doctors and nurses and then roll out the tests to the general population.

Experts there are using a test that costs around €10 (£8.80) and delivers a result in an hour, making mass testing feasible.

The checks involve taking a tiny blood sample, usually from the finger.

Luca Zaia, the governor of Veneto, said a positive test would give a person an “immunity licence” which would enable them to resume their normal lives.

“Our plan is to give a sort of ‘immunity licence’ to those who are tested. We’re carrying out the first tests on medical staff and people who work in nursing homes,” he said.

Emilia-Romagna, another northern region that has been badly affected by the contagion, is also testing doctors and nurses for immunity.

The testing, which began on Thursday, will be carried out on around 100,000 health sector workers.

“The tests will enable us to check, in a short space of time, the presence of antibodies, whether the patient was infected by the virus, and whether they are immune,” regional authorities said in a statement.