Italy & COVID-19: Future Reopening Plans
Back in January when the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in China, no one really knew that this would be the start of a major pandemic around the globe. Italy’s first reported cases were a month later, in February. Since first being reported in Italy, the total number of cases has reached 229,858 with 32,785 deaths, 140,479 recovered patients, and 56,594 currently infected patients as of May 25, 2020.1
As the number of active cases has seen a drop since February, the first signs that Italy is ready to take steps to reopen the country are underway. Italy’s COVID-19 outbreak resulted in people ordered to stay home and other such restrictions that essentially shut down the country for several months with only access to essential services.
Now that Italy is on the way to reopening, there are concerns about what to expect and what measures will be in place to prevent the spread and resurgence of the virus. At the end of April, the Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte announced plans to gradually phase-in the reopening of the country.
How Italy Plans on Reopening
As of May 4th, when restrictions were lifted, anyone going out in public is required to continue to observe safe social distancing and wear face masks. Select companies were allowed to resume operations at the end of April. Other select businesses could reopen with conditions on May 4th including wholesale stores and restaurants for takeout.2
The Italian Prime Minister’s phased-in reopening also calls for other shops and museums to reopen around the 25th of May with restrictions. Dine-in service at restaurants is scheduled to resume on June 1st with capacity limits. Barbershops can also open as of June 1st.2
Schools won’t reopen until September, tentatively, and how this will occur is still being discussed to ensure the safety of students and educators.
To encourage people to wear masks in public spaces, the government has put a cap on the cost of masks at 50 cents. Many cities throughout Italy have also imposed fines for going out in public and not wearing a mask.
As summer approaches, expect to see continued restrictions and limited capacities at various public spaces and businesses. For example, when beaches are allowed to reopen, safe social distancing will need to be practiced at all times and the number of people allowed on beaches will be limited.
How Does COVID-19 Affect Italian Dual Citizenship Status?
The pandemic won’t affect your Italian dual citizenship status. However, with travel restrictions in place, traveling from the U.S. to Italy requires a mandatory self-quarantine for essential travelers upon arrival.
Non-essential travelers from other European Union countries are tentatively going to be able to travel to Italy starting on June 1st. Americans, on the other hand, will not be able to resume non-essential travel to Italy until later.3
Any visitors or dual citizens entering Italy will be expected to adhere to and follow all current COVID-19 requirements like wearing face masks in public places. Many people who had planned on returning to their second home in Italy this summer from the U.S. may need to postpone their plans for the time being.
If we all do our part, practice safe social distancing, and wear face masks when out in public, things should continue to improve so we can enjoy traveling to Italy once more in the near future.
To find out if you qualify for dual citizenship status, please feel free to contact the Italian American Citizenship Assistance Program at (305) 812-5512 today! We offer a free initial consultation and a variety of Italian citizenship services if you qualify for dual status.
Sources:
- https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/italy/
- https://www.france24.com/en/20200426-italy-unveils-plan-for-life-after-covid-19-lockdown
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/italy-announces-plans-to-ease-travel-restrictions-starting-june-3/2020/05/16/fd0822dc-9745-11ea-9f5e-56d8239bf9ad_story.html