Italy Covid Numbers May 2022

Go if you can afford to deal with the possibility of having to quarantine if you test positive when returning . Covid is not going away anytime soon.
Here is what the US government says:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/italy-travel-advisory.html

Jazz is right to an extent. This is an odds game, in that we are all playing the odds, but your personal situation is unique to you, and only you can weight that.

Numbers are high, and may go down (I would say yes they will, but...). But then there could be another variant that rises. Or not. So you could wait and try to target your trip for the numbers to be lower (whatever you deem acceptable) and then try to hit that target. Or just go now, protect yourself as best you can with good masks, and vaccines, and protect yourself financially and otherwise for the potential of contracting it on your travels (which at the very least currently means a financial hit if you test positive and cant take your return flight)

I'm also heading to Italy in mid-May and have been watching their COVID numbers. Wish they were lower! I bought travel insurance which will cover cost of quarantining and am glad masks are required indoors and on transit in Italy. Bringing lots of N-95 masks and plan to eat in outdoor restaurants. I was originally scheduled to fly with British Air, but they cancelled my flight. They did not require masks on the flight into UK. Rebooked with Lufthansa which will require masking on my flight. Maybe others can weigh in on which airlines currently require masking into Europe.

If you don't feel comfortable, don't go. We're heading to Italy next week and are taking reasonable precautions and have contingency plans. We're vaxxed, boosted and insured. In my case, I just had COVID and got a certificate of recovery from my doctor. I'm more concerned about keeping my sister safe. I have a ton of KN95 masks and we will be cautious. I am heartened that Italy made the decision to maintain mask restrictions. We're flying on BA and while I bet they won't require masks on the flight to LHR but will on the leg to Italy. I think we'll wear them regardless.

My thoughts are that COVID is not going away. We put a coat on when it's cold and we'll put masks on when the counts are high.

" I am heartened that Italy made the decision to maintain mask restrictions"

I just looked at the Rialto Bridge webcam, some pretty close milling around of people with very few wearing masks.

We returned from Italy yesterday. Masks were enforced indoors everywhere. Rome and Florence are crowded but we felt safe.

Covid is an airborne virus. Being cheek to jowl in unmasked gatherings is not advisable, be they indoors or outdoors!

I’m in Italy now. Almost nobody wears a mask outdoors. On trains and in stores/restaurants I see a lot of non- compliance mostly teens/ young people, but also older people. Also a lot of people just wear surgical masks which are supposedly not acceptable. Have been asked just once to show vaccination card during the last two weeks.

Numbers in Italy are decreasing, probably a result of the warmer weather since numbers tend to decrease every year in summer. There is always a risk however, and if you test positive before flying back to the US you’ll need to quarantine and your return will be delayed, so having travel insurance which covers that risk is important.

Proof of vaccination is no longer required to enter restaurants, museums and other venues. It is however still required to enter the country. A FFP2/N95 mask is still required on public transportation and in certain indoor venues (theaters for example). Masking outdoors is no longer required, but still recommended in crowded areas.

I went there and I felt safer. They were tough on masks when I went there 2 weeks ago especially in trains where the employees made sure everyone had the FFP2 or KN95 masks and they would let you know if you had your masks under your nose. Honestly, when I was there, I wasn't that worried about COVID. I had made a day trip to Switzerland and they had no masks regulations there...same for London where I had to wait at the airport where nobody wore a mask. In the end, it's up to you. I purchased a Covid travel insurance in which they would pay if I am stuck there with covid, so have a look at that. I am Canadian btw, but the insurance company in question is Manulife and I am pretty sure that they also deal with Americans. Have a look at that.

@fb, I thought Canada didaway with the re-entry Covid test for vaccinated citizens?

In restaurants, do you just have to put the masks On when you walk in and out to be seated?

Yes, Canada has removed any form of testing (although you can get randomly tested on your return), but in Italy, if you cough or show any symptoms, the authorities in Italy may deem necessary for you to get tested or they simply refuse entry. I know I went to a museum and they used a thermometer to see if I had fever. I just purchased the insurance for a "Just in case" scenario.

As for restaurants, if you eat inside, they will ask you for the green pass....basically your vaccine papers. Canada's vaccine passport QR don't work, not sure about the US ones, so I had to always show my vaccine passport which shows the country, my name and the vaccines I got...plus I had to show my regular passport (always bring your passport) most of the time to prove that I am who the vaccine papers say I am. At that point, you can eat without a mask, you remove it only to eat. Only one guy gave me a hard time saying that Italy doesn't accept Moderna Spikevax as a vaccine....which is BS because everyone else didn't have an issue with that...nonetheless I had to go eat outside, there was no point in making a big stink about that.

We are in Rome now. The mask mandate was lifted everywhere except transportation. Private businesses can require masks but we have seen very few masks except for our tour at the Borghese Gallery. I would guess 50% of the guests wore masks. All cab drivers have been masked, however. No one has asked us for our vaccine cards except when we checked in for our flight to Italy—in the US of course. In the streets there are a few masks to be seen, but really very few.

If I am not mistaken, it was removed since April 30th.