After the introduction of the test requirement for air travelers from China at the most important Italian airports, the authorities have given the all-clear for the time being, despite a high rate of positive test results.

As recently as last week, more than half of the passengers were found to be infected with the corona virus during the mandatory tests for travelers from China at Milan Malpensa Airport.

At Rome’s Fiumicino Airport, on the other hand, only five passengers tested positive on an airplane coming from eastern China, which was the first to be subject to mandatory testing.

Matthias Rub

Political correspondent for Italy, the Vatican, Albania and Malta based in Rome.

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As the Center for Infectious Diseases, Spallanzani, in Rome said on Monday, the sequencing of the positive test results found that only virus variants known and prevalent in Italy were detected.

It can therefore be assumed that, thanks to natural immunization and the high vaccination rate, there is no particular danger for the Italian population from the viruses of the already known variants imported from China, it said.

Spallanzani Director General Francesco Vaia therefore spoke of “good news at the beginning of the year” with regard to the pandemic.

Compulsory testing until at least the end of January

The northern Italian region of Lombardy with the capital Milan was the first region in Italy to introduce mandatory tests for travelers from China on Tuesday, and the other regions of the country followed suit on Wednesday.

Tests are to be carried out at Milan-Malpensa Airport until the end of January, and in Rome-Fiumicino the test obligation for passengers from China will remain in place until at least the end of the month.

Health Minister Orazio Schillaci had asked the country's 20 regions to prepare their hospitals and health facilities for a renewed increase in patients.

The minister said that the reintroduction of the obligation to wear masks in closed rooms and more work from home would also have to be considered in the event of an increase in infections.

Travelers from China who test positive may end isolation after a period of at least five days if they are asymptomatic for two days and an antigen or molecular test is negative.

After self-isolation has ended, an FFP2 mask must be worn until the tenth day after the onset of symptoms or the first positive test.

Risk persons and crowds of people should be avoided.

Health Minister Schillaci also initially gave the all-clear in the Senate: No variants were discovered in the sequenced positive samples that were not already widespread in Europe.

In fact, no more restrictions

Despite the wave of infections apparently rampant in China, further easing came into force in Italy at the beginning of the year.

For months, there have been virtually no restrictions in everyday life in the country.

Anyone who is asymptomatic after a proven infection or has been symptom-free for two days can end the quarantine five days after the first positive test.

Another (negative) corona test is no longer necessary.

For cases that have always been asymptomatic, isolation may be terminated with no minimum duration if an antigen or molecular test performed by a testing center is negative.

For healthcare workers, isolation can be ended as soon as an antigen or molecular test is negative if they have been symptom-free for at least two days.