Is Italy planning to bring in new Covid restrictions over Christmas?
As Italy's government prepares a new Covid emergency decree, here's what it could mean for your plans over the festive period.
With just a couple of days to go until Christmas, the Italian government is looking at tightening the Covid restrictions - either during the festive period or soon after.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi will meet with regional leaders on Thursday, December 23rd, to discuss measures set to be included in a new emergency decree, as infections have soared in recent days to their highest level in 13 months.
The introduction of strict new rules at this stage would be a major departure from what government ministers have been saying for weeks: that this Christmas would be “like any other before Covid”, at least if you’re vaccinated.
READ ALSO: Italy records highest number of Covid cases in over a year
It does look certain that more rule changes are on the way, even though the last such decree only came into force on December 6th.
The question everyone is asking now is how big these changes are going to be, and when exactly they will arrive.
At the time of writing, the government has not made any official statements or given any indication yet as to what the plan might be. But if you’re worried about new restrictions putting the brakes on Christmas plans - particularly if you’re travelling to Italy in the next few days - there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
The first thing to know is that any changes included in the new decree up for discussion on Thursday are likely to be domestic rule changes only, and not related to international travel. Italy’s travel rules are dealt with separately, and changes to these are usually announced not by emergency decree but via ordinances from the health ministry.
READ ALSO: What will Italy’s Covid restrictions be this Christmas?
Photo: Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP
The health ministry reviewed its travel guidance very recently, on December 14th, with a new ordinance in force from December 16th until at least January 31st.
It chose not to enforce tougher travel restrictions at that point, and there is no sign so far that the ministry is likely to change its mind now and announce further changes before the current ordinance expires.
READ ALSO: Should I travel within Italy or abroad this festive season?
The other thing to be aware of is that a series of discussions are needed before a new decree can be signed into law, and it's not yet known how long these meetings will take.
Such decrees usually take at least a few days to be agreed upon and signed, and then to come into force. However, in theory, it is possible to bring in new rules effective immediately under the ongoing state of emergency.
All of this means that it’s unlikely any new restrictions will be in place by Christmas Day - but it is very possible that we could see tighter Covid restrictions in Italy before the year is out.
With that said, here’s a look at some of the measures that could be included in the new decree, according to Italian media reports.
What could change under the new decree?
So far, it looks likely that most of the changes will be related to the use of Italy’s ‘green pass’ Covid health certificate, which has gradually become a requirement for most aspects of public life, now including on public transport and at all workplaces in Italy.
One widely expected change is a new requirement to show a negative test result in addition to a reinforced or ‘super’ green pass, proving the bearer is vaccinated or recovered from Covid, to enter nightclubs or attend large events.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera suggests the decree could also include capacity restrictions in shopping centres, or could add shopping centres to the list of venues which require a basic ‘green pass’, showing the holder is vaccinated, recovered, or recently tested negative for Covid in order to enter a shopping centre.
READ ALSO: Q&A: How does Italy’s new Covid ‘super green pass’ work?
Photo: Vincenzo PINTO / AFP
And the government has recently been debating whether to bring back the outdoor mask-wearing requirement seen last winter nationwide. This is already a requirement if your region is a ‘yellow’ zone.
While a vaccine mandate has applied to many people working for Italy’s public services since December 15th, the ‘super’ green pass could now become mandatory for employees of more businesses working in contact with the public.
Longer-term measures are thought to be likely to include the reduction of the validity of Italy's green pass to seven months, and the government is also reportedly considering new rules meaning anyone who tests positive for Covid will have their certificate suspended.
The green pass system is also set to be extended beyond its current expiry date of January 15th to March 31st, 2022 (which is when Italy’s current state of emergency is set to expire).
There is no suggestion so far that the new decree will include restrictions on travel between regions in Italy, bans on parties or gatherings, or any sort of lockdown measures.
Generally, the Italian government remains cautious when it comes to handling the pandemic, though it has been reluctant to bring in new restrictions on those who are vaccinated, or measures such as lockdowns or closures which could have a negative impact on businesses.
"There is undeniable growth in infections, but it must also be said that the hospital situation in Italy is currently under control,” Andrea Costa, a deputy health minister, told national broadcaster Rai on Monday.
“The choices that will be adopted will be made with a sense of responsibility, and on the basis of the latest numbers on infections and data relating to the Omicron variant,” he said.
Franco Locatelli, head of the government’s CTS health advisory panel and president of the Higher Health Institute (ISS), told Corriere della Sera that Italy “must do everything possible to mitigate the risk of increasing the numbers of infected people, as well as those hospitalised or in intensive care.”
Meanwhile, many regional and local authorities are pushing for stricter rules amid fears of overwhelming healthcare services, as well as the potential for business closures if any part of the country were to be declared a high-risk ‘red’ zone.
Due to these concerns, many towns and cities in Italy have already imposed their own extra health measures and have begun cancelling Christmas and New Year’s events.
After almost two years of the pandemic, we all know nothing is guaranteed and last-minute changes are possible. But for the moment, the government's new decree looks more likely to impact everyday life in Italy after the holidays, rather than derailing plans for Christmas dinner.
See the latest news and updates from The Local on Italy’s current Covid-19 health measures and travel restrictions.
For further details about Italy’s current Covid-19 health measures please see the Italian Health Ministry’s website (available in English).
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With just a couple of days to go until Christmas, the Italian government is looking at tightening the Covid restrictions - either during the festive period or soon after.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi will meet with regional leaders on Thursday, December 23rd, to discuss measures set to be included in a new emergency decree, as infections have soared in recent days to their highest level in 13 months.
The introduction of strict new rules at this stage would be a major departure from what government ministers have been saying for weeks: that this Christmas would be “like any other before Covid”, at least if you’re vaccinated.
READ ALSO: Italy records highest number of Covid cases in over a year
It does look certain that more rule changes are on the way, even though the last such decree only came into force on December 6th.
The question everyone is asking now is how big these changes are going to be, and when exactly they will arrive.
At the time of writing, the government has not made any official statements or given any indication yet as to what the plan might be. But if you’re worried about new restrictions putting the brakes on Christmas plans - particularly if you’re travelling to Italy in the next few days - there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
The first thing to know is that any changes included in the new decree up for discussion on Thursday are likely to be domestic rule changes only, and not related to international travel. Italy’s travel rules are dealt with separately, and changes to these are usually announced not by emergency decree but via ordinances from the health ministry.
READ ALSO: What will Italy’s Covid restrictions be this Christmas?
The health ministry reviewed its travel guidance very recently, on December 14th, with a new ordinance in force from December 16th until at least January 31st.
It chose not to enforce tougher travel restrictions at that point, and there is no sign so far that the ministry is likely to change its mind now and announce further changes before the current ordinance expires.
READ ALSO: Should I travel within Italy or abroad this festive season?
The other thing to be aware of is that a series of discussions are needed before a new decree can be signed into law, and it's not yet known how long these meetings will take.
Such decrees usually take at least a few days to be agreed upon and signed, and then to come into force. However, in theory, it is possible to bring in new rules effective immediately under the ongoing state of emergency.
All of this means that it’s unlikely any new restrictions will be in place by Christmas Day - but it is very possible that we could see tighter Covid restrictions in Italy before the year is out.
With that said, here’s a look at some of the measures that could be included in the new decree, according to Italian media reports.
What could change under the new decree?
So far, it looks likely that most of the changes will be related to the use of Italy’s ‘green pass’ Covid health certificate, which has gradually become a requirement for most aspects of public life, now including on public transport and at all workplaces in Italy.
One widely expected change is a new requirement to show a negative test result in addition to a reinforced or ‘super’ green pass, proving the bearer is vaccinated or recovered from Covid, to enter nightclubs or attend large events.
Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera suggests the decree could also include capacity restrictions in shopping centres, or could add shopping centres to the list of venues which require a basic ‘green pass’, showing the holder is vaccinated, recovered, or recently tested negative for Covid in order to enter a shopping centre.
READ ALSO: Q&A: How does Italy’s new Covid ‘super green pass’ work?
And the government has recently been debating whether to bring back the outdoor mask-wearing requirement seen last winter nationwide. This is already a requirement if your region is a ‘yellow’ zone.
While a vaccine mandate has applied to many people working for Italy’s public services since December 15th, the ‘super’ green pass could now become mandatory for employees of more businesses working in contact with the public.
Longer-term measures are thought to be likely to include the reduction of the validity of Italy's green pass to seven months, and the government is also reportedly considering new rules meaning anyone who tests positive for Covid will have their certificate suspended.
The green pass system is also set to be extended beyond its current expiry date of January 15th to March 31st, 2022 (which is when Italy’s current state of emergency is set to expire).
There is no suggestion so far that the new decree will include restrictions on travel between regions in Italy, bans on parties or gatherings, or any sort of lockdown measures.
Generally, the Italian government remains cautious when it comes to handling the pandemic, though it has been reluctant to bring in new restrictions on those who are vaccinated, or measures such as lockdowns or closures which could have a negative impact on businesses.
"There is undeniable growth in infections, but it must also be said that the hospital situation in Italy is currently under control,” Andrea Costa, a deputy health minister, told national broadcaster Rai on Monday.
“The choices that will be adopted will be made with a sense of responsibility, and on the basis of the latest numbers on infections and data relating to the Omicron variant,” he said.
Franco Locatelli, head of the government’s CTS health advisory panel and president of the Higher Health Institute (ISS), told Corriere della Sera that Italy “must do everything possible to mitigate the risk of increasing the numbers of infected people, as well as those hospitalised or in intensive care.”
Meanwhile, many regional and local authorities are pushing for stricter rules amid fears of overwhelming healthcare services, as well as the potential for business closures if any part of the country were to be declared a high-risk ‘red’ zone.
Due to these concerns, many towns and cities in Italy have already imposed their own extra health measures and have begun cancelling Christmas and New Year’s events.
After almost two years of the pandemic, we all know nothing is guaranteed and last-minute changes are possible. But for the moment, the government's new decree looks more likely to impact everyday life in Italy after the holidays, rather than derailing plans for Christmas dinner.
See the latest news and updates from The Local on Italy’s current Covid-19 health measures and travel restrictions.
For further details about Italy’s current Covid-19 health measures please see the Italian Health Ministry’s website (available in English).
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