Covid-19 rules changing on February

Italy has officially calmed down the covid-19 restrictions in some of its regions since 1st February. Based on the three-color-coded system, red, orange, and yellow will be the colors that will indicate the risk and its specific restrictions for each region. As reported by the Health Ministry and Higher Health Institute, authorities conclude that the risk levels will start to lower in most parts of the country.

The classification of regions

The regions are classified based on the risk as follow:

Red zones: None of the Italian regions is classified as a red zone

Orange zones: Sardinia, Puglia, Umbria, Sicily, and the autonomous province of Bolzano

Yellow zones: All other regions: Abruzzo, Campania, Calabria, Emilia Romagna, Basilicata, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Lazio, Liguria, Piedmont, Marche, Molise, the autonomous province of Trento, Valle d’Aosta, Tuscany, Veneto

What are the ‘yellow zone’ rules?:

We are familiar with the rules and the current restrictions, since the decision of November 6th, but in this list, the government has made some changes for regions of each zone. The regions that are in the yellow list allow the daytime reopening of bars and restaurants, and greater freedom to travel within the region compared with the earlier restrictions. This decision came as a relief to people living in these areas, besides, the health ministry highlighted that despite the minimization of the restrictions, people should be careful and not mean a total relaxation of the rules. Health Minister, Roberto Speranza cited: “Being in a yellow zone does not mean the danger has passed. We still need the utmost caution if we do not want to go back on the progress made in recent weeks”.

TRAVEL ABROAD AND FROM ABROAD TO ITALY – Tourism update

According to the Decree-Law 14 January 2021, n. 2 and the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers January 14, 2021. Updated measures are valid until March 5, 2021. Here are the restrictions on travel abroad and from abroad to Italy. The restrictions valid between Italy and your country of destination should be revised and read carefully in order to be safe.

MOVING IN ITALY

It is important to be informed about the rules before traveling since we still are going through the pandemic, however, it has several changes. Therefore, considering the rules that we have mentioned earlier for each region and for all places, here are the rules and restrictions while moving in Italy:

Throughout Italy, it is mandatory to wear a mask in public places, both indoors and outdoors, except in cases where you are isolated from non-cohabiting people. In Lazio, it is mandatory to wear the mask outdoors in any case.

They are not required to wear a mask:

• people that are doing sports
• all children under the age of 6
• people that have disabilities or diseases incompatible with the use of the mask; carers or assistance operators also are not obliged to wear the mask.
• Maintain a safe distance of at least one meter from non-cohabiting people.
• To avoid crowds, some squares or streets are closed to the public for the whole day or at certain times. These squares or streets can be entered only to reach open shops and private homes.
• By public or private transport, for reasons of work, study, health, for reasons of necessity or to use unsuspended services it is recommended to limit the traveling.
• It is recommended to download the Immuno app, created by the Ministry of Health and the Minister of Technological Innovation to help and reduce the spread of Covid-19.

PUBLIC PLACES

As a traveler, you should be aware of the restrictions in public places as follow:

Public places can remain open from 5 to 18, with a sign indicating the maximum number of people allowed inside them at the same time.

Consumption at the table for a maximum of 4 people per table, unless they live in the same house. After 6 pm, it is forbidden to consume in public places.

Home delivery of food and catering with a takeaway is always allowed up to 10 pm, also, the consumption on the spot is banned.

No time limits for restaurants in hotels and other accommodation facilities

Bars, restaurants, and similar places will remain open, in refueling areas along motorways, hospitals, and airports.

Discos and dance halls will be closed.

Amusement arcades, casinos, betting rooms, and bingo halls will be closed.

MUSEUMS AND PLACES OF CULTURE

Museums and other cultural institutions will remain open from Monday to Friday, in compliance with the restrictions of covid-19, distancing, and other preventive measures.

In this case, you can enjoy the Gallery of Uffizi in Florence, an amazing place to be visited with our tours, including the skip the line option that we have especially for our tourists, in order to not wait with the crowd. You will see the masterpieces of Michelangelo, Botticelli, Da Vinci, etc.

We also offer other tours, worth mentioning are Vatican Museums, a must-see, and other cultural attractions tours, such as Capri & Pompei tour, with the amazing coast and plenty of outdoor activities, always keeping up with the safety rules. A must-try is the tour of the Museum and Theater of La Scala in Milan, it will give you a royal and high-class feeling.

Tours that you shouldn’t miss during this time, is the guided tour of Siena, not forgetting the amazing tours in Florence and its amazing architecture.

You will be traveling and enjoying all the beauties of Italy thanks to our attractive and safe tours.

SHOPS

Another stop for the tourists, the shops, can remain open until 9 pm and must display signs indicating the maximum number of people allowed inside and other restrictions. During the holidays and days before holidays, shopping centers are closed with the exception of grocery stores and para pharmacies, pharmacies, newsagents, and tobacconists.

HOTELS AND ACCOMMODATION STRUCTURES

Hotels and other accommodation facilities will remain open, in compliance with distancing, with the protocols and guidelines adopted to prevent the spread and contamination to the virus.

CINEMA AND THEATERS

Shows will be suspended in cinemas, theaters, concert halls, and in other spaces, even outdoors, in any case, because the crowds are a potential risk.

PARKS, GARDENS AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITIES

It will be allowed to access parks, villas, and public gardens, in compliance with the ban on gatherings or crowds. It is allowed to keep up with the physical activity outdoors, in compliance with the safety rules, a distance of at least 2 meters for sporting activities and at least one meter for any other activity. It is not obliged to observe the safety distance for carers of minors and people who are not completely self-sufficient.

Therefore, the activities of gyms, wellness centers, swimming pools, and spas will be suspended.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

• Public transport is allowed to circulate with 50% of passengers.
• Companies of public transport are required to indicate information responsible for the correct use of personal protective equipment such as masks, gloves, overalls, etc.
• Companies are required to appropriately sanitize and sanitize premises frequently, all means of transport and means of work in order to maintain safe.
• The installation of hydro-alcoholic solution dispensers is recommended whenever possible by companies, for use by passengers to ensure their safety.
• For the traveling personnel for whom it is not possible to maintain interpersonal distances of 1 meter from users, they must use appropriate personal protective equipment, as required by the Protocol.
• It is necessary to maintain communications onboard the vehicles by affixing specific signs indicating the correct user behavior methods, necessary for the performance of the service.
• The available seat next to the driver should be prevented to be occupied by the passenger.
• The driver must wear protective equipment and In the rear seats, only two passengers may be carried for each row of three-seater seats, and only one passenger in the two-seater rows.
• If the passengers are part of the same family unit and wear gloves and masks, they can be transported all together, in case of using a vehicle equipped with a special separator;

MOVING BY CAR

It is possible to move by car without limitations together for family units, with spouses, cohabitants, and permanent associates.

Non-cohabiting people

Three non-cohabiting people including the driver can move in the same car, with the condition that all people in the car must wear a mask and the passenger seat next to the driver must remain free. Passengers must leave the center seat free and sit on opposite sides of the rear seat. If the car has several rear rows, it can accommodate two passengers per row seated on opposite sides of the seat, and leaving the center seat free.

SKI RESORTS

From February 15, the ski resorts will be open with the rules of complying with specific guidelines to avoid gatherings. These rules will be adopted by the Regions and Autonomous Provinces and validated by the Technical-Scientific Committee in order to maintain the safety of the visitors.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Either, indoor and outdoor parties are prohibited, including the events related to civil and religious ceremonies. Festivals, fairs, and all similar events are also prohibited.

Conventions, congresses, and all similar events are suspended, Excluding the ones that take place remotely.

SPECIFIC MEASURES FOR SOME TERRITORIES

There are some special restrictions in some Italian Regions or Provinces, in addition to the measures described above.

In South Tyrol, Puglia, Sardinia, Sicily, Umbria

You are allowed to go out only from 5 am to 10 pm. You can go out between 10 pm and 5 am only for reasons of work, health, or proven urgency, with a self-certification indicating the reason for the move.

It is allowed to move freely only within one’s own municipality, excluding municipalities whose population does not exceed 5 thousand inhabitants, they are allowed to leave the municipality up to a distance of 30 km, but not to provincial capital cities.

You can leave the house once a day between 5 and 22, to visit relatives or friends only. Is allowed to go out a maximum of 2 people or 2 people accompanied by children under 14 or disabled or non-self-sufficient people living together. It is allowed moving within the municipality of residence. Those who live in municipalities whose population does not exceed 5 thousand inhabitants are allowed the same as the above-mentioned rule.

The bars will be open from 5 to 18 and the restaurants from 5 to 22, but only for take-away. It is forbidden to consume food or drinks near the premises. Restaurants have no time limits only for home delivery. It is forbidden to eat or drink in the streets and parks from 6 to 5.

Pharmacies, para pharmacies, tobacconists, grocery stores, newsagents, nurseries, bookstores, and other shops for necessary goods remain open. Therefore, shops and malls still remain closed.

Museums, exhibitions, cinemas, theaters, gyms, and swimming pools will also remain closed.

Here’s what you can do:

In yellow zones, it is allowed:

For bars and restaurants to stay open until 6 pm, including on Sundays.

Takeaway service is allowed until 6 pm for bars, and 10 pm for restaurants, while there will be no time limits for home delivery.

Museums will reopen only on weekdays, specifically from Monday to Friday;

High schools, for 50 to 75 percent of classes, are going to return to in-person teaching.

For Elementary and middle schools, face-to-face teaching continues, masks are required for children over six years old.

You can visit relatives or friends, but only by following these rules: You can travel once a day, between the hours of 5 am-10 pm to another private home in your region or autonomous province. No more than two adults are allowed to visit, therefore, children under 14 from the same family do not count.

It is permitted to travel and reach second homes outside the region, regardless of the zone’s color of the departure region or the region of arrival. To do so, you will need documents that prove your ownership or residency, and a completed self-certification form.

It is also allowed to travel to return home or to a place of residence, regardless of zone color.

Barbers and hairdressers will be open in all places, regardless of the zone’s color.

Outdoor ‘motor activity’ exercises are allowed (jogging, walking, etc.) in all zones regardless of color.

Here’s which rules stay in place:

Despite the minimization of the restrictions and the freedom given to the regions, there are some rules which stay in place:

The evening curfew remains as before, from 10 pm-5 am for all the regions. You’ll need to take a completed self-certification form If you really need to go out during those hours.

The ban on non-essential travel between regions remains the same, regardless of zone color.

Cinemas, betting halls, theaters, discos, game rooms, ballrooms, gyms, swimming pools, concert halls, theme parks, spas, and wellness centers remain closed as they were now.

Shops will be open, but malls will be closed on weekends.

Ski resorts will remain closed at least until a new announcement on February 15th, subject to be authorized by the regional authorities.