The quarantine requirement for travelers from the European Union or Schengen Zone, which mandates 5 days in isolation, will remain in place until April 30th, according to the Italian Health Ministry.
Introduced on March 31st, the rule was initially imposed till April 6th but has been extended from April 7-30th by a new ordinance.
It requires individuals arriving from any other member of the EU or Schengen Zone to test negative for coronavirus no more than 48 hours before arriving in Italy, then spends 5 days in quarantine regardless. They must then take another test after self-isolating.
Earlier EU travelers were only required to test negative before arrival, with quarantine reserved for individuals arriving from outside the bloc.
The change in the guidelines was introduced shortly before the long Easter weekend, in a move that seemed aimed at discouraging residents of Italy from taking trips overseas while the nation went into temporary lockdown over the holiday.
But it has been prolonged amid high case numbers in Italy and other European nations, several of which are currently in some form of lockdown.
Restrictions are set to remain tight across Italy until at least the end of April, with only essential travel between cities or regions allowed.
Tourism within the EU stays possible under Italy’s international travel restrictions, however, is discouraged by the Italian Foreign Ministry which urges individuals to avoid any abroad trips unless absolutely mandatory.
Under the Health Ministry’s latest ordinance, the five-day quarantine also applies to travelers arriving from the UK and Israel, who previously had to spend 14 days in isolation.
And most travelers from Austria, who had been subject to three coronavirus tests and two weeks in quarantine, will now follow the same rules as the rest of the EU, though individuals departing from the Austrian state of Tyrol must continue to spend 14 days in isolation.
Courtesy: thelocal.it
