After China and South Korea, it is in Italy that the majority of people who have contracted Covid-19 are found. To avoid spreading the new coronavirus, many countries around the world have banned Italians from entering or are requiring them to undergo strict checks. We find out how to travel safely according to the Farnesina.
Although viruses have no borders – as Emanuele Capobianco of the Red Cross has reminded us –, the list of governments trying to prevent people arriving from places where outbreaks of the new coronavirus, Covid-19, are present from entering their countries is extremely long. Equally long is the list of leaders who have urged their citizens not to travel to the most dangerous areas. Given that Italy ranks third in the world for number of infections, anyone planning to travel in the coming days must absolutely stay up to date. We therefore try to shed some light on the matter with the help of advice from the Farnesina.
El Salvador: is preventing entry to people arriving from Italy and South Korea.
Jordan: does not admit foreign nationals coming from Italy, China, South Korea and Iran, unless they left those countries more than 14 days before landing. Jordanians returning home after travelling to at-risk areas must remain in quarantine for 14 days.
Iraq: has extended its entry ban to travellers coming from as many as seven countries – Italy, China, Thailand, South Korea, Japan, Iran and Singapore.
Kuwait: has suspended all flights to and from Italy, China, South Korea, Iran and Thailand.
The Republic of Mauritius: bars entry to foreign nationals coming from Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, China and South Korea. Mauritians who have travelled to these territories in the past 14 days may return home, but must remain in quarantine.
Seychelles: has prohibited all airlines operating direct flights to the archipelago from allowing on board passengers who have been in Italy, China, Iran and South Korea in the past 14 days. Their entry by sea is also not permitted.
Austria: Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz has declared that checks on trains coming from Veneto and Lombardy will be stepped up and that, should anyone show coronavirus symptoms, an immediate lockdown will be ordered.
Bosnia: anyone who has returned from Italy, South Korea or Iran in the past seven days must notify the local health office by telephone, even if they show no symptoms. Bosnian citizens have also been asked not to travel to those countries, nor to China.
Bulgaria: local authorities have strengthened health checks at Sofia airport, as well as at the main transit airports of Varna, Burgas and Plovdiv, for all arriving passengers, with particular attention to those coming from mainland China and Italy. The airline Bulgarian Air has suspended all flights to and from Milan.
France: anyone arriving from or who has visited Veneto, Lombardy, China, Singapore and South Korea in the 14 days prior to entering the country is urged to work from home and may not send their children to school. French train conductors on the Paris–Milan line will alight at the border, at the municipality of Modane, and hand over to their Italian colleagues, who will continue along the route.
Israel: anyone who has been in Italy, Taiwan or Australia in the 14 days prior to arriving in Israel and develops symptoms consistent with Covid-19 will be required to undergo the health checks ordered by the Ministry of Health. Minister Yaakov Litzman has also urged Israelis not to go to Italy and is considering imposing isolation on those arriving from Italian territory.
Lithuania: those departing from Veneto, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Piedmont are checked on board the aircraft to verify that they do not have a fever or display any other symptoms attributable to the new coronavirus.
The United Kingdom: all those returning from northern Italy who display flu-like symptoms are required to self-isolate; however, even those with no health problems are urged to stay at home and contact the national health service if they have been in the Italian regions affected by coronavirus in the past 14 days.
Slovakia: from 25 February, enhanced checks have been carried out at Bratislava airport on passengers arriving from Italy. Every traveller must also fill in a form enabling their identification and traceability after landing.
South Africa: the African country has also put in place more stringent health checks at its airports.
Croatia: has suspended school trips to Italy and the Foreign Minister has asked Croatians not to go to Veneto and Lombardy.
Greece: Greeks have been told not to travel to Italy, while school trips to our country have been banned.
Ireland: Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney has urged the Irish not to visit ten Italian towns located in the so-called red zone, the area that cannot be entered or left: Codogno, Castiglione d'Adda, Casalpusterlengo, Fombio, Maleo, Somaglia, Bertonico, Terranova dei Passerini, Castelgerundo and San Fiorano.
Russia: has urged its residents not to travel to Italy, Iran and South Korea.
Serbia: has called on its citizens not to travel to Italy until the alert has subsided.
Spain: recommends against making journeys, except in cases of extreme necessity, to China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Iran and four Italian regions (Lombardy, Veneto, Piedmont, Emilia-Romagna).