Tourists visiting Italy will need to produce negative COVID test

Italy will tighten restrictions for arrivals from the rest of the EU from Thursday, requiring coronavirus tests of everyone and a five-day quarantine for those who are not vaccinated. Previously, EU arrivals had to show proof of vaccination, recent recovery or a negative test. The decree signed by Health Minister Roberto Speranza late on Tuesday "provides for the obligation of a negative test on departure for all arrivals from European Union countries", a spokesperson said. "For the unvaccinated, in addition to the negative test, a five-day quarantine is planned." Unvaccinated people arriving from outside the bloc must already quarantine, and tests are required of those with jabs. The new measures, valid from December 16 to January 31, come as Europe battles a fresh wave of coronavirus infections as winter settles in and the new Omicron variant takes hold. Early data suggests two vaccine doses may not offer as much protection against Omicron and is more transmissible than the Delta variant, which currently accounts for the bulk of the world's coronavirus cases. Italy was the first EU country to experience a major outbreak of COVID-19 in early 2020.  In recent months, it has...