Readers' question: What are the Covid quarantine rules for ravelers in Italy?

Question: "According to one of your recent publications, you can get out of isolation by testing negative for the coronavirus." However, you can also get out of isolation by getting a certificate of recovery from Covid-19... is that  true?”

Official proof of recovery from Covid-19 will not exempt you from the requirement to self-isolate if your Covid test is positive while in Italy – though it will shorten your isolation period.

According to existing health ministry rules, anybody who tests positive while in Italy must immediately self-isolate for a duration of 7 days at minimum, unless they are fully vaccinated and boosted, have finished their basic vaccination cycle or were certified as healed from Covid not more than 120 days ago.

For those who have not been fully vaccinated and boosted, or who healed from Covid or finished their primary vaccination cycle over 120 days ago, the isolation period jumps to 10 days.

In both scenarios, the infected individual must have been symptom-free for a minimum of three days before being released from isolation (the only exception to this rule is that the symptoms such as loss of sense of smell or taste, can continue even after the infection is over).

To be released, the patient must test negative for the virus using either a rapid antigen test or molecular (PCR) on the last day of isolation.

Isolated individuals who continue to test positive for the virus can stay in self-quarantine for not more than 21 days before being autonomously released.

Italy currently does not demand travelers from any nation to test negative to enter its territories, as long as they are completely boosted or were recently vaccinated/recovered from Covid.

Some nations (including the United States) do require individuals traveling from Italy to test negative before leaving, which means visitors nearing the end of their trip may be surprised to learn they must isolate themselves for another week in Italy rather than returning home as scheduled.

Due to this new rule, a multitude of The Local's readers has informed us that they will not be visiting Italy this summer and will defer their trip until next year.

If you plan on touring Italy from a nation that needs you to test negative for Covid before re-entry, think about what you would do and where you would go if you suddenly tested positive.