Italian Minister of Health, Horace Schillaci, has declared that the mandatory 5-day isolation period for individuals testing positive for Covid-19 is largely unenforced. This statement comes following a letter sent to the Ministers of Tourism and Health, Daniela Santanchè and Orazio Schillaci, respectively, requesting the removal of this limitation inherited from the pandemic. The letter was written by Gabriele Milani, the national director of the Organized Tourism Federation of Confcommercio, who argues that the isolation requirement is no longer justified in the current health situation.
Milani points out that these limitations were put in place when the health situation was vastly different and that other EU countries have already lifted isolation and quarantine requirements. France, for example, lifted these restrictions on February 1st. Milani also highlights that the World Health Organization declared the health emergency closed on May 5th and notes that Italy is the only country still maintaining the isolation obligation for Covid-positive individuals.
The director of the Federation further emphasizes that the isolation requirement poses a critical issue for tourism companies. The Tourism Code allows travelers to withdraw from their package contracts but requires them to pay withdrawal costs indicated in the agreement. However, some travelers are requesting to withdraw without penalties in the case of a positive Covid test, without obtaining any coverage for cancellation penalties. This situation places the costs on the package organizer, as they would be responsible for any expenses incurred by suppliers if the customer cancels due to the virus and subsequent isolation obligation.
Milani also mentions that agencies and accommodation facilities face difficulties managing cases of Covid-positive foreign customers on holiday in Italy, as they are surprised that the isolation requirement is still in force. To address these challenges and align Italian legislation with the rest of the EU and the current health context, Milani urges the prompt removal of these provisions. He emphasizes that the European regulation on the green pass expired on July 1st, and interoperable digital certificates of vaccination, testing, and recovery can no longer be issued.
It remains to be seen how the Italian government will respond to these concerns raised by the tourism industry. As the pandemic continues to evolve, the balance between public health measures and the economic impact on various sectors, such as tourism, remains a critical challenge.
Source: “Now I think we will remove it, but in fact, I think it is largely unenforced.” The Minister of Health said so Horace Schillaci, on the sidelines of the Farmindustria National Assembly, regarding the end of the 5-day isolation still envisaged for Covid-19 positives. In a letter sent to the Ministers of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, and of Health, Orazio Schillaci, we asked to remove a limitation inherited from the pandemic that still remains in force: we are talking about five days of isolation, plus ten of the obligation to wear FFP2 mask, at the expense of those who test positive for a Covid swab”, Gabriele Milani, national director of the Organized Tourism Federation of Confcommercio, declared a couple of days ago. “This is a measure that in the hardest phase of the virus had important results in terms of public health defense – continues Milani – but today it no longer appears justified. And in fact, it is almost totally rejected. On the other hand, these limitations were foreseen when the health situation was completely different from today. It is no coincidence that the other EU states have already lifted isolation and quarantine last year and, most recently, France on February 1st. It goes without saying that the WHO definitively declared the health emergency closed on May 5, and that, as far as we know, Italy is the only country to have maintained the isolation obligation for Covid positives”. The director of the Federation argues again, addressing the ministers Santanchè and Schillaci: “It is an obligation that represents a critical issue for our companies. In fact, the Tourism Code regulates the withdrawal from the tourist package contract: the rules provide that the ill or injured traveler can withdraw at any time, but must pay the organizer the withdrawal costs indicated in the agreement. There are travelers who ask to withdraw without penalties in case of positivity from Covid and without stipulating any policy to cover the same cancellation penalties, thus offloading on the package organizer any costs applied by the suppliers in the event that the customer renounces the holiday for fault of the virus and the consequent obligation of isolation “. “Criticalities and difficulties are also reported to us by agencies and accommodation facilities, which have to manage cases of positivity from foreign customers on holiday in Italy, incredulous that the isolation obligation is still in force here. That’s why – concludes Milani – some provisions must be removed with the same promptness with which they were introduced: we consider it necessary to align Italian legislation with the rest of the EU and with the current health context, also bearing in mind that the European regulation on the green pass expired on 1 July and interoperable digital certificates of vaccination, testing, and recovery can no longer be issued”.