Italy will no longer ask people coming from abroad for a COVID-19 certificate from Wednesday.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza said in a statement he will not renew a decree that introduced the requirement, which expires on May 31.
Tourism Minister Massimo Garavaglia welcomed the move as a “very positive and timely” decision that will offer foreigners another reason to visit Italy during the summer.
In line with European peers, the Italian government has relaxed COVID-19 rules in recent weeks and months.
The requirement to use FFp2 masks remains for:
- aircraft used for commercial passenger transport services
- ships and ferries used for interregional transport services
- trains used in interregional, Intercity, Intercity Night and High Speed passenger rail transport services
- buses used for passenger transport services, with undifferentiated offer, carried out on the road in a continuous or periodic manner on a route connecting more than two regions and having routes, schedules, frequencies and prices predetermined
- buses used for rental services with driver
- vehicles used in local or regional public transport services
- means of school transport dedicated to primary school, lower secondary school and secondary school students
- performances open to the public that take place indoors in theatres, concert halls, film theatres, live music and entertainment venues and other assimilated venues, and sporting events and competitions that take place indoors.
Wearing respiratory protective equipment is also mandatory for workers, users and visitors in health, social and health care facilities, including hospitality and long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities (RSA), hospices, rehabilitation facilities, residential facilities for the elderly, including those who are not self-sufficient.
The face mask rule expires on June 15 and it is unclear if it will be extended.
Italy has reported nearly 17.4 million coronavirus infections and more than 166,000 deaths to date, but numbers have dropped significantly recently.
