Italy to scrap last remaining Covid quarantine rules
Over three years after Covid self-isolation restrictions were first introduced, Italy looks set to remove its last remaining quarantine rules as health minister Orazio Schillaci described them as ‘largely unobserved’.
After nearly all Covid-related restrictions were gradually discarded over the past year, the last remaining self-isolation rules seemed to be next in line on Thursday after health minister Orazio Schillaci said the measures would soon be removed due to them being ‘largely unobserved’ at this point.
Under current rules, people in Italy who test positive to Covid but are asymptomatic must self-isolate for five days, or until they test negative at a pharmacy or health facility – whichever happens sooner.
READ ALSO: Has Italy still got any Covid rules in place?
Those who instead experience symptoms must either test negative before exiting quarantine, or wait until they are symptomless for at least two days.
Schillaci’s statement on Thursday came only days after Italy’s health and tourism ministries were both urged to drop the remaining self-isolation rules by national tourism association FTO (Federazione Turismo Organizzato) .
Notably, FTO president Gabriele Milani said via an official statement on Tuesday that current quarantine measures were “no longer justified” and represented a “critical issue” for the tourism industry, with “foreign visitors often in disbelief” over self-isolation rules being still in place in the country.
Italy is currently the only EU state imposing quarantine for people testing positive to Covid, after France removed its last self-isolation measures last February.
If the present self-isolation rules were to be ultimately scrapped as suggested by Schillaci’s words, Italy would only be left with one Covid-related rule, namely the requirement to wear a mask in parts of health and residential care facilities that house vulnerable or immunosuppressed patients.
This rule had been due to expire on April 30th, but was renewed by decree on April 29th and will remain in place until the end of the year.
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After nearly all Covid-related restrictions were gradually discarded over the past year, the last remaining self-isolation rules seemed to be next in line on Thursday after health minister Orazio Schillaci said the measures would soon be removed due to them being ‘largely unobserved’ at this point.
Under current rules, people in Italy who test positive to Covid but are asymptomatic must self-isolate for five days, or until they test negative at a pharmacy or health facility – whichever happens sooner.
READ ALSO: Has Italy still got any Covid rules in place?
Those who instead experience symptoms must either test negative before exiting quarantine, or wait until they are symptomless for at least two days.
Schillaci’s statement on Thursday came only days after Italy’s health and tourism ministries were both urged to drop the remaining self-isolation rules by national tourism association FTO (Federazione Turismo Organizzato) .
Notably, FTO president Gabriele Milani said via an official statement on Tuesday that current quarantine measures were “no longer justified” and represented a “critical issue” for the tourism industry, with “foreign visitors often in disbelief” over self-isolation rules being still in place in the country.
Italy is currently the only EU state imposing quarantine for people testing positive to Covid, after France removed its last self-isolation measures last February.
If the present self-isolation rules were to be ultimately scrapped as suggested by Schillaci’s words, Italy would only be left with one Covid-related rule, namely the requirement to wear a mask in parts of health and residential care facilities that house vulnerable or immunosuppressed patients.
This rule had been due to expire on April 30th, but was renewed by decree on April 29th and will remain in place until the end of the year.
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