Italy imposes 5-day quarantine for all travellers arriving from EU
Italy will require travellers arriving from all other EU countries to quarantine for five days on arrival, the health ministry announced on Tuesday, according to The Local.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza will sign a new ordinance requiring anyone entering Italy from another member of the EU or Schengen Zone to get tested for coronavirus before departure and observe quarantine regardless of the results, ministry sources told the press.
They must then get tested again after five days in isolation.
The new rules will apply to foreign visitors and returning residents alike, with the only exceptions for reasons of “proven necessity and urgency”, a ministry official told AFP.
Previously most travellers within the EU simply had to test negative up to 48 hours before arriving in Italy, while quarantine only applied to people arriving from countries outside the bloc.
The quarantine period is nonetheless shorter for EU travellers at five days. People arriving from non-member states have to spend 14 days in isolation.
It’s not yet known when the new rules will come into effect, but they seem designed to discourage holidays over the upcoming Easter break, when all of Italy will go into a three-day lockdown.
Tourism within the EU remains possible under Italy’s international travel restrictions, but is discouraged by the Italian Foreign Ministry which urges people to avoid any overseas trips unless absolutely necessary.