Europe 1 with AFP 11:25 am, December 15, 2021
Italy introduces new restrictions on Thursday for its entry into the territory for residents of the European Union, in the face of the rise of the Omicron variant.
From now on, it will be necessary to present a negative test for the vaccinated people or to observe a quarantine of 5 days for the unvaccinated.
Italy tightens control at its borders.
The country bordering France has announced a restriction of entry conditions to its territory for travelers from the European Union (EU) from Thursday, with a mandatory negative test (antigen less than 24 hours or d 'a PCR test of less than 48 hours) for all and a five-day quarantine for the unvaccinated.
The decree, signed Tuesday at the end of the day by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza, "provides for the mandatory presentation of a negative test on departure for all arrivals from countries of the European Union," said a spokesperson.
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Until now, EU nationals could travel to Italy with a health pass attesting to a complete vaccination schedule, recent recovery or negative test.
Unvaccinated people will have to observe a five-day quarantine on their arrival, in addition to presenting a negative test.
Those arriving from outside the EU already had to be quarantined.
Omicron threat worries
These new measures, valid from December 16 to January 31, come as Europe faces a new wave of Covid-19, marked by a rapid spread of the Omicron variant.
According to initial studies, this variant could prove to be more resistant to vaccines and more transmissible than the Delta variant, which currently represents the majority of coronavirus cases in the world.
Italy, which has paid a heavy price with more than 133,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, recorded more than 20,000 new cases and 120 deaths on Tuesday.