Another summer holiday blow for Britons as Italy imposes mandatory five-day quarantine for visitors arriving from the UK over Indian variant fears
- British tourists will now have to test, quarantine for five days on arrival in Italy
- Introduced as fears grow over the spread of the Delta, or Indian, Covid variant
- Changes come into effect Saturday, follows similar curbs by Austria, Germany
Italy is introducing mandatory testing and a five-day quarantine for visitors from Britain, in another blow to summer holiday plans.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced the new regulations on Friday, as concerns grow over the spread of the highly contagious Indian variant.
The new measures will come into force on Saturday and follows similar bans by France, Austria, and Germany, which have already introduced varying curbs on those entering from Britain.
Italy is introducing mandatory testing and a five-day quarantine for visitors from Britain, in another blow to summer holiday plans
Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced the new regulations on Friday, forcing Brits who travel to Italy to test and quarantine for five days
Britain on Friday said there had been a 79 per cent increase in weekly reported cases of the Delta coronavirus variant, which was first identified in India.
Britain on Thursday recorded 11,007 new daily coronavirus cases, with the emergence of the Delta variant pushing the figure above 10,000 for the first time since late February.
The variant now comprises 91 per cent of sequenced cases, Public Health England said.
Italy is currently on the UK’s so-called Amber list, meaning visitors must quarantine for 10 days on their return and take two tests – on day two and day eight – before the are released.
Italy is currently on the UK’s so-called Amber list, meaning visitors must quarantine for 10 days on their return and take two tests – on day two and day eight – before the are released
Italy has been one of the European countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but infection rates have fallen sharply in recent weeks
Italy was one of the worst hit European countries but cases and deaths have declined rapidly in recent months and restrictions in much of the country have been lifted
Prime Minister Mario Draghi said his government would impose mandatory quarantine for British travellers if the Delta variant continued to spread at the G7 summit last week.
Italy will simultaneously lift curbs on travellers from the United States, Canada, Japan, and other European Union states who meet the requirements of the so-called Green Certificate issued by the EU.
That digital Covid certificate, which comes into force on July 1, will demonstrate whether a bearer has been vaccinated against Covid-19, has been recently tested or has acquired immunity from previously contracting the disease and recovering.
Italy will simultaneously lift curbs on travellers from the United States, Canada, Japan, and other European Union states who meet the requirements of the so-called Green Certificate issued by the EU
Currently those arriving from the United States, Japan and Canada must show a negative coronavirus test and quarantine for 10 days on arrival unless they come on one of a limited number of ‘Covid-free’ flights.
A ban on people arriving from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will remain in place, Speranza added on Facebook.
Italy has been one of the European countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic, but infection rates have fallen sharply in recent weeks and restrictions in much of the country have been lifted.
A ban on people arriving from India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka will remain in place, Health Minister Roberto Speranza (pictured) added on Facebook