Italy extends quarantine for British travellers until 30 August

Italy has announced it will extend the quarantine requirement for British travellers until 30 August.

It means all UK arrivals, regardless of vaccination status, are subject to five days of self-isolation when entering Italy.

The measure, which also requires Britons to take one pre-departure Covid test and another after five days of quarantine, was initially introduced on 21 June in response to soaring Delta variant cases in the UK.

It was due to expire on 30 July, but the country’s Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, announced it would remain in place for another month, even for double-jabbed travellers.

“I have just signed an order extending the restrictive measures regarding entry into Italy from India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Brazil,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

“The 10-day quarantine for non-European countries is confirmed, except for those on the EU-recommended list for which quarantine is reduced to five days.

“Mini quarantine is confirmed also from Britain.”

However, he added that, from 6 August, Italy would recognise vaccine certificates issued in the UK in order for visitors to gain entry to certain places, a measure that’s being brought in from 6 August.

It follows the news that travellers who have been fully vaccinated in the EU or US can forgo quarantine when entering Britain from an amber country.

Travellers can follow the green list rules instead: they must take a lateral flow test and present a negative result before departing for the UK, and take a PCR test within two days of arriving.

The relaxed rules come into effect from 4am on 2 August.