New Covid rules in Italy: to summarize

"Random tests will be done even when you arrive and if you are positive you have to respect quarantine of 10 days."

This summary is from the Tripadvisor Forum, courtesy of GAC:
"To further help contain the spread of Covid-19, ALL PERSONS ENTERING ITALY from abroad (and for whatever reason) will be subject to SPOT COVID-19 TESTS at the point of entry (seaports, rail and road crossings, and especially AIRPORTS). Those found to be positive will be subjected to 10 DAYS OF REQUIRED SELF-ISOLATION at their lodging of choice (in the absence of which, at a Covid hotel) to be monitored for compliance by local health authorities. The self-isolation will end only after a negative followup Covid test is registered. This does not imply that everyone will be tested, rather the tests will be required only of selected persons (which may vary from day to day according to traffic flow and other conditions)."

Whoa
Our boosters were 11/19/21
We fly to Italy 4/26/21
Looks like we will be OK?

My trip to Italy is planned for April 5, 2022. I am afraid I am quite literal and need a little better explanation. For instance what does "healed" by Covid mean?

Also, I got my booster on 10/03/21. If booster shot needs to be within 6 months, am I not eligible to travel?

One other question, suppose I test positive before returning to the US, are there contingency plans for accommodations available from Rick Steves for quarantining?

Thank you

If you had the booster on 10/3 get another booster before leaving sometime in March.
If the last injection was over 6 month earlier you won’t be able to enter museums, which I think is the main purpose why people visit Italy.

Probably just a bad translation but it means - have had COVID and recovered — would need documentation from your medical provider

You would need booster no more than 6 months prior to your arrival in Italy, the math is clear
You would not be eligible unless you get another booster

If you are traveling on a RS tour I am sure the tour office can answer your questions about possible quarantine accommodations

are there contingency plans for accommodations available from Rick Steves for quarantining?

Definitely a question for RS staff.

I suspect RS will not be formally involved in finding lodging. The tour guide may offer some suggestions, but it will not be like having a pre-booked room reserved as is done during the Tour..... ( that's my guess)

I don’t understand how I qualify for a Super Green pass. Seems like that is necessary to enter any restaurant?

And this random spot testing to enter Italy….so I need to take a test in the days before I fly and then I’m subject to getting spot tested upon my arrival? That’s a game changer. Why anyone would possibly travel to Italy now is beyond me. We fly Delta. I can rebook up until 4 hours before we fly, covering us in case we test positive for either leg of our trip.

Imagine shelling out for a two week trip and you or your spouse are randomly tested at the airport.

Your CDC card serves as your Super Green Pass ( 2 vaccinations plus a booster)
There is no mechanism available for US citizens to obtain a Green pass

As "healed" I mean "cured", "recovered". A persone formerly positive to Covid now negative and with antibodies present. In EU we have a certificate for it and is written in the super green pass. I suppose there is a similar CDC certificate. If not: do a booster.

Why anyone would possibly travel to Italy now is beyond me.

For USA travellers: remember that USA is in "Group D", so a swab was mandatory to travel to Italy even before the new rules. The possibility to be found positive (so stay in insulation in an hotel for several days, if not in hospital) was present even before.
In any case, if you don't have an hotel or pace to stay insulated, you can go to a Covid hotel: there is at least one in each city.

Also, I got my booster on 10/03/21. If booster shot needs to be within 6 months, am I not eligible to travel

I suppose is the 3rd of October. After the 3rd of April you cannot travel to Italy. The green pass is required for any traveller from countries of the Group D (like USA). If you arrive before, for example the 30th of March, you can enter in Italy and for some days you can even enter in any place, but after the 3rd of April your pass is refused in museums, restaurants, bars and so on. So better be sure to have a booster whom expire after the end of the trip.

Ricky - you mentioned that they can now test travelers that arrive even after they have taken the pre-flight COVID test. Can you confirm these random spot checks? That's what my comment was in relation to.

I am a health department clinic vaccinator and we are currently giving boosters (3rd shots) for adults. Until a recommendation from CDC and FDA comes for people to get a 4th shot it won’t be standard operating procedure to give a 4th shot just for travel purposes. I’m supposed to go to Italy in late May and will be more than 6 months out from my booster by then. So unless things change both here and in Italy it may be a trip I (and others) won’t be able to make.

@ Kevin
Yes, that is what they have declared. Is possibile being checked with a swab even when you arrive in Italy. How many people I don't know. Is even possible that the controls will be concentrated to the people arriving from countries of the European Union, from where the movement is free without swabs before departure.

@marciaandcb
Is a concern even to Italians. At the moment we are doing the first booster (third inoculation) but nobody hasn't decided yet to do a fourth or maybe more. If I'm right only Israel started with the fourth. My status is the same: I've been vaccinated in August and I have the third and of January: what happens after July? We can only wait the decision of the Minister.

Regarding a fourth booster.

One thing to keep in mind is that these rules are not written in stone and change frequently.

Another is that much of the data on effectiveness of the vaccines and recommendations for boosters are determined only shortly before they are needed, because the test groups for the vaccines are only about 60 days ahead of the general public.

So far as a fourth booster, Israel has started with high risk individuals, and drug companies are anticipating that they will be needed, or possibly a revised dosage to account for variants. IF the six months rule for the booster stands, then it will only be after a fourth booster is recommended. If a fourth booster is not recommended, then the rule would likely be revoked (won't require something not medically recommended).

Yes, the uncertainty drives the high level planners mad.

You do need to pay attention, if a fourth shot is recommended, you need to consider timing with your trips planned. In other words, you might not want to be the very first in line, unless your trip is in a couple weeks.

We are traveling to Italy April 1-8 my son and I are getting booster this month however my daughter and husband had their second Pfizer dose 10/15/21 I believe they are covered until 4/15/21 I’m not sure if they will be getting the booster before our trip. Do they fall under covered at this point?

Their super green pass expires the 4/15/21, so after that day during a control from the 16th they will not allowed to enter where a "super green pass" is required. If rules will be the same than now.

my daughter and husband had their second Pfizer dose 10/15/21 I
believe they are covered until 4/15/21

I think you meant 4/15/2022 (or by European dating, 15/4/2022?)

Regarding boosters, the pharmacy where I received mine has no restrictions on number of boosters or timing in between. YMMV. I will be back in Italy for the month of September and plan on having another booster done in June.

We will be arriving in London, then to Croatia and in to Italy. We will have had a test prior to arriving in London. Do we need to test each time we cross a boarder? Ie. Croatia to Italy?

You will need to follow whatever the protocol is at the time for UK, Croatia and Italy

I have a friend that arrived in Italy 3 days ago and provided his CDC vaccine card as proof of vaccine and booster. It was not accepted at restaurants and was told he would have to obtain a Super Green Pass before being allowed in any restaurant, bar or other venue in Italy. Also, he was told he could only use N95 masks.

I’ll be curious to hear how that works out since there is technically no mechanism for US citizens to get a Super Green Pass
The CDC card has been widely accepted in Italy for months and the current requirements indicate that it is to be accepted

Where exactly is your friend?

Can anyone else verify the claim about the CDC Card not being accepted for entrance into restaurants and such? I find that hard to believe since US citizens can't get the Green Card. Also, that is the first I have heard regarding requirement to use only N95 masks.

I’m also pretty sure there are no “N95” masks in Italy
It goes by a completely different name/number
FFP2

Aimee
Your masks will be fine
The above post is an unconfirmed “rumor”

Re-read the post at start of thread

I have a friend that arrived in Italy 3 days ago and provided his CDC vaccine card as proof of vaccine and booster. It was not accepted at restaurants and was told he would have to obtain a Super Green Pass before being allowed in any restaurant, bar or other venue in Italy.

Wrong. Probably your friend has a long expired CDC card or an illegible one or a false one with a different name.
I work as guide and even if there aren't so many US tourists the CDC certificate has been ALWAYS accepted in EVERY place I went (museums, restaurants, shops, bars, food producers secluded in the countryside....). Sometimes the control take few seconds more than the simple QR code scanning, but nobody cares about it.

Also, he was told he could only use N95 masks.

Half correct. Mask N95 are the ones produced and verified in USA (and the KN95 in China), while the FFP2 are the ones produced and verified in Europe. The law state that are required the FFP2, so I don't know if are accepted even the N95/KN95 in a deep control. In the most of places both version are accepted, because the tests are similar.
They have to be used in the most of indoor spaces and mean of transport. Outdoor a normal surgical mask is enough.
Remember that in Italy the FFP2 are available in any pharmacy, supermarket, mall at a cost of 0.75 - 1.5 euro.

Just backing up Ricky (not that he needs it; the decree he posted above is as "official" as it probably gets) it's FFP2 masks (or better) that are required. I'd linked this page for Colosseum visitors for another poster that mentions that mandate as well.

https://www.coopculture.it/en/article/green-pass-required-to-access-the-places-of-culture-in-italy-until-january-9-and-super-green-pass-from-january-10-2022-00001/

Thanks for the clarification Ricky

These “I have a friend” posts should always be taken with a grain of salt and the OFFICIAL policy should be confirmed and followed

Ricky,
I am in Vignola at the bar closest to the train station did NOT want to accept my CDC card with my three shots (I am boosted as of November). I am going to the Castello tonight for dinner and hope that I will be allowed in to eat. I am registered AIRE so I will get the Super Green Pass as soon as my form is processed.

My real concern with this is the 6 month expiration of the SGP (CDC Card) after the booster dose. I had my booster dose in October and am ticketed for Italy in late May. There hasn't been an authorization for a 4th shot so it appears I will be out of luck unless the rules change. My tickets are refundable but I am really anxious to get back in the swing of traveling.

@ Kevin…..upon entering France we had to sign a sworn statement that we agree to random test upon arrival and if positive to quarantine. We were not tested nor did I see anyone being pulled out of line for testing.

@Jack….I would not panic yet regarding 4th booster. Requirements can change. Before the 3rd booster for Moderna was FDA approved we were able to get it from a local pharmacy a full month ahead. I anticipating getting a fourth the same way.

We have EU Certificate issued from France reflecting our 3rd booster (10/15/21) and was hoping to add the QR code to the Swiss Covid app but we will have to get the 4th before applying for the Swiss Covid Certificate since our trip is 7/1/22 - 7/15/22

Jack, I’m in the same position. Our 6 month ends in March and we have our trip planned for May. However, even if we get a 4th booster we may not go. I don’t want to wear an N95 mask outside all the time and am very concerned about testing positive and having to quarantine. I wasn’t that concerned before the very transmittable Omicron, but I am now.

Think a lot of us are going to be in the same boat regarding the 6 mo. rule after last booster. We too had an extensive trip planned for late spring through France and Italy that we are now wondering what to do. We will be well beyond the 6 months after our booster, and since they haven't rolled out a 4th, not sure how this is going to play out. I don't mind the mandatory masks one bit. But for now the rules are pretty clear on the six months.

Re; 6 month window for last vaccine immunization. My booster was August, 2021 (first responder for public transportation on the water), We leave for Italy in mid March. My gut feeling is, in the next couple weeks, CDC will announce 4th vaccine specifics. We leave in two months. There will undoubtedly be changes between now and then; for USA, for Italy, etc. I have my "Steps to Departure/Covid Protocols" document prepared, for what is now. Ready to adapt, ready to adjust. Feel gratitude to travel again.

So am I understanding this correctly........? I had the J&J (1 dose) on March 13th 2021. I have not had a booster shot yet, but if I get it now (01/16/22) I'll be within Italy's vaccination guidelines for a trip booked June 7th - June 21st of this year?

Also, do I need a "Green Pass" or "Super Green Pass" or will my U.S.A. CDC card work in Italy?

@ Linda
Since you live in Vignola, come back to the bar with a carabiniere or a policeman to explain that your certificate is valid. If you are fond of that bar, of course. In Vignola we are plenty of better bars.

@Lulu348
The FFP2 (or N95) mask is mandatory only indoor in some places. Outdoor can be used any kind of mask.

To anybody else worried about 6 month expiration: remember that even a lot of Italians received the 3rd dose in September/October. For example teachers and professors. Has been decided this short expiration to speed up the vaccination, but is almost sure that in February/March will be decided what to do. 4th dose? A longer period? We don't know yet. Be patient.

Gparvin, yes that is correct.