Latest travel rules for Italy?

A snowHead

Italy news:

"Regardless of your vaccination status (see below) anyone arriving in Italy by air, land or by sea may be subject to random COVID testing on arrival until 31 January."

From https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/italy/entry-requirements

A snowHead

@KathE,

ref la thuile / la rosiere....do they ask for pass sanitaire on the french lifts to get back...is it theoretically possible to get stuck if you dont have a PS .

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Believe you can use the NHS pass too....is supposed to be recognized by Tous covid app..... so in theory shouldn't get stuck.

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Hi all, just tried to find the Super Green Pass app for our upcoming Italy trip. It seems that this isn’t an ‘app’ as such in the same way the pass sanitaire exists in the form as the Tous Anti Covid for France. Is this right or is there a Green Pass I can download for Italy and upload NHS vaccination proof to?

Thanks!

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At the base lift in Cervinia today they were refusing access to those wearing buffs of any kind, only the 'normal' face masks, even if buffs met the FPP2 standard!
I suspect the lifty's brother was flogging masks downstairs, as it wasn't a requirement 2 days ago.
We employed distraction tactics to get our son past them.
Green pass required in restaurants and proof of vaccination in Zermatt restaurants too.
100% mask / buff compliance on all enclosed lifts.

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After all it is free

In Italy, your nhs QR code is scanned as proof of ‘green pass’
You dont have to load/have a ‘green pass’ app.

Thanks johndory. So there isn’t a local app like there is a tous anti covid in France?

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@capability, download VerificaC19 - that’s the official Italian app that is actually used on the ground to scan your passes. You just present your qr code (e.g direct from the NHS app, or more likely the stored pdf, a screenshot, or a print out). It will give you a green tick, or a Red Cross.

You can try the app out yourself on your certificates and confirm it works for yours.

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Anyone know how long after having covid are you allowed to travel to italy?

Thanks

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I think getting into Italy is the easy bit, getting proof of vaccination, PCR test and passenger locator form seems straightforward. I think the problem is getting a PCR test 48 hours in the resort before returning. I've been trying to locate test centres close to the resort (Arabba) it is proving difficult despite the wonderful internet. Might be a bit swamped 2 days before departure with umpteen tourists in town.

Does anyone have any experience of getting tested prior to returning to UK?

@crossmax, is it not just antigen before flight followed by a pcr in 2 days once returned?

You know it makes sense.

@tomb, This is where it gets a bit confusing. I don't think its that straightforward. This is copied from the gov.uk website

Type of test
The test must meet performance standards of ≥97% specificity, ≥80% sensitivity at viral loads above 100,000 copies/ml.
This could include tests such as:
• a nucleic acid test, including a PCR test
• a LAMP test
• an antigen test, such as an LFD (lateral flow device) test
You must check with your test provider that the test meets the standards. You may not be able to travel if it does not.
The test could be:
• a face-to-face or in-person test
• a self-administered test with video or photo verification

So it seems you have to find a test centre and book a test, it may be a LFT that meets the criterion above but it cannot be one provided by the NHS and done abroad.

Also copied fromgov.uk
The UK government says the result must include the following:
• your name, which should match the name on your travel documents
• your date of birth or age
• the result of the test
• the date the test sample was collected or received by the test provider
• the name of the test provider and their contact details
• the name of the test device
“If the test result does not include this information you may not be able to board, and may not be able to travel to England. If you arrive without a test result that includes this information, you will be committing a criminal offence and could receive a £500 fine.”
“Your test result can be provided as a physical, printed document, or via email or text message, which you can show on your phone. Make sure that your device is charged.”

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Yeah you'll need one of the test linked below, to take with you to test and upload remotely before return flight...

https://covid.randox.com/antigen-travel-packs/

Followed by one of their day 2 pcr kits.

A snowHead

A snowHead

We flew back from GVA with Easyjet today.
We used the Chronomics Fit to Fly Antigen tests which we did on Xmas Eve after skiing. Registered the kits, did the tests, took the photo and certificate returned within a couple of minutes.
We managed to print them out along with P1 of the UK PLF. All were checked at bag drop.
At BRS we just used the passport scanners, nothing else required.
PCR tests now done and sent off too.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

Flew back today through Milan and all was good.
Of note on Alitalia now, they are insisting on FFP2 masks at all times on the aeroplane - and were stopping people at the gate.
The Green Pass app worked fine for the whole break, and there were no issues with paperwork, just make sure you have it to hand at the checkpoints. Yes, its great having it on your phone, but being able to hand over the papers when requested seemed to be easier.

Must give a shout out to the LFT's from C19testing as we got the response, with the certificate within 90 minutes yesterday. I was impressed. I'm not expecting the Day2 tests from Expert Medicals to be back for a few days yet though as we are now at the mercy of Royal Mail and Bank Holiday collections / deliveries.

Hope everyone has a fun and safe trip to wherever they can manage. Fingers crossed Boris does not have a senior moment in the next few days and end up trashing New Years! Roll on 2022. snowHead

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https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10158431740412304&id=183934957303

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@Checkflaps, re the PCR day 2 test - do you know (or maybe another Snowhead can answer) if there is a time limit for them to get to the lab. Looked at our priority postbox collections earlier and although post will be collected, private tests will not be delivered until after the bank holidays so expected delivery Thurs 29th (https://www.royalmail.com/priority-postboxes). On that basis thinking there's not much point doing the test until as late as poss on day 2 so it sits with Royal Mail for as little time as possible.

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@KathE, I think it's a case of whenever they get there, they get there. Their 48 hour clock for the result starts then.
It won't make any difference to the result if it sits in a postbox for a couple of days, so just do it at a convenient time and stick it in the box.

If fully vaccinated, you don't have to isolate unless you get symptoms anyway.

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You DO have to isolate at home until the Day 2 test result returns NEGATIVE.

So the best strategy is to buy both the "pre return to UK" LFT test and the "day 2" PCR test before you go away. Then on the last but one day of the trip you do both of them.

With the former, if you use a decent firm like https://www.c19testing.co.uk/rapidtravel/, you upload a photo of the LFT, overlaid on your passport, to them, and within a day you get an email with the PDF certificate link. Same process BTW for say Italy, before you fly there. They want LFT within 24hrs or PCR within 48hrs.

With the latter, taking it the day before you fly back avoids it going positive because you caught something on the return flight Smile

Then you post it at the airport letter box as you get off the plane. That way you end up with the shortest possible isolation.

In fact you can do the Day 2 test at some airports, while you wait, which is even better. I saw a fair few people doing them next to the Costa at N Terminal at Gatwick.

After all it is free

@brianatab, thanks. Will just get them done today then Smile

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The pre return to UK LFT you have to take - does this have to undertaken in a clinic / supervised.
Or is it simply done at your leisure (obviously on day 2 before your return) and then uploaded using photographic evidence?
Just trying to make sense of it all - and be sure its going to be worth all the effort - hate the thought of having to factor in booking in and attending an appointment when I should be skiing!
If anyone who has undertaken this could give a brief explanation that would be very helpful.
Thank you

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@Dippy, we used Chronomics tests for the pre return to UK LFT. Ordered all tests before we went and took the packs with us. Took the tests after we finished skiing the penultimate day of the holiday. Register test kit online, do the test then upload the test result photo to the website and we had certificate back within 5 minutes - all very easy and definitely worth the effort to get a weeks skiing in.

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@Peter Stevens, the best way to achieve a negative result is not to stick the swab up your nose in the first place... rolling eyes

If you think you're going to pick it up on the flight, then do the test the moment you touch down in the UK and you won't need to worry anyway. There are PCR testing places at airports - certainly at Heathrow - which will give you the result within 3-5 hours.

@Dippy, Appointments availability will vary greatly between resorts. Worth checking early in the week if you can book a convenient time for it on your last day. These will fill quickly.

For the Psb, some of us made Friday am appointments at the local clinic. The staff arranged a nurse to attend Le Taos for others. Assume something similar happened to those that stayed the extra week or 3?

It cost a couple of hours skiing, but very low vis that day, so no real loss. Might be different on a blue sky day.

Worth taking an NHS lft to test yourself in advance.

There are a number of Companies who can supply pre return tests in advance, and the price varies greatly. You can take an unsupervised test for return to the UK, but not every Country will accept these for entry. Too much opportunity for fraudulent test results.

Most Airports seem to have a test and wait facility prior to departure, but you would need the time to wait for the result before checking in, and, depending on the time of your flight, these may not always be available. Not sure if these are pre-bookable.

You know it makes sense.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

A snowHead

@KathE, Great - thats the reply I was hoping for - thank you very much.
@brianatab, I guess the answer is to take the pre departure tests with us - saves the hassle of finding/booking appointments.
Really not worried about the 2 day return tests (although obviously I understand these need to be done) - no problem if we did have to self isolate

A snowHead

Guys, all these workarounds are well known, and the one about not using the swab on the LFT is actually spent out in the instructions inside the packet (!), but I wasn't going to post them, so why did you?

No country currently requires a supervised test (LFT or PCR). Those would wipe out the airline business, due to the difficulty of coordination (try doing a "supervised within 24hr" test, other than in a walk-in clinic). I did a number of supervised online ones (over video) and it was incredibly slow.

Most people don't know these workarounds so they simply don't travel much. Objective achieved.

As I posted further back, Italy is now randomly testing arrivals. Croatia started that in the summer.

Anybody with a brain will carry out a real test (the free LFT) before travelling, because who wants to get sick on holiday?

All these measures are only ever broad-brush, because people travel across borders all the time, without testing. For example most road traffic on the mainland is not subject to testing. And those who cannot fly to ski have found out that they can just drive...

A much bigger problem is the govts pretending that Omicron is as dangerous as the previous. It is blindingly obvious that it isn't, but they want to keep a lid on that for as long as they can.

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@peter Stevens re omicron not being as “dangerous” you’re thinking on an individual level and governments have to (should) think at the population level when it comes to the management of this. I want to go skiing as much as the next person but if the NHS is still swamped, because the smaller % that need icu due to omicron is still a v big number that exceeds capacity, due to massive infection numbers plus the broader economy is flattened by the numbers in bed at home with flu level disease, then we’re all going to be screwed.

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@MHskier, I suppose it depends on whether you agree that the travel testing requirements serve any health or scientific purpose any more, given;
a) Omicron is now prevalent pretty much everywhere. Particularly in the UK.
b) What is the point of testing for variants now? Even then, we are barely sequencing any.
c) Pretty much full population vaccination.

I think people are prepared to follow rules if they can see the point of them-for example, self isolation if you are infected. But I cannot see the point now of either the Day 2 PCR or the pre-return LFD. I am sure lots of people are like me and so will find ways around them.

@MHskier, I suppose it depends on whether you agree that the travel testing requirements serve any health or scientific purpose any more, given;
a) Omicron is now prevalent pretty much everywhere. Particularly in the UK.
b) What is the point of testing for variants now? Even then, we are barely sequencing any.
c) Pretty much full population vaccination.

I think people are prepared to follow rules if they can see the point of them-for example, self isolation if you are infected. But I cannot see the point now of either the Day 2 PCR or the pre-return LFD. I am sure lots of people think the same and so will find ways around them.

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Yes my point was limited to highlight there’s still danger to the nhs and economy even if omicron causes a lower % of v serious or deadly disease.

Agree with point a and to degree letting vaccinated people do more than non vaccinated. But screening for new variants is important to protect against vaccine escape.

Anyway enough pontificating I’ll be watching things re Italy travel over the coming weeks to make a late decision about go/no go to Italy in feb. Thanks for everyone’s input here.

Help!!

Latest travel rules for Italy?

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