From May 1, 2022, the anti-Covid rules in place will change as we see an end of the “Green Pass” and for wearing masks indoors and in schools. Little by little, Italy eases restrictions, following a set calendar drawn up by the Draghi government. We, however, need to await the meeting of the Council of Ministers to make everything official.
For now, the changes planned to rules that have guided our daily lives the last two years are making life a bit easier. One of the major deadlines is coming up, with further changes starting May 1, 2022.
Keep in mind things started changing after the “reopening” law decree was published in the Official Gazette on March 24, and restrictions started easing on April 1st. The government outlined then the strategy to make our way out of the health emergency, setting the end of the main restrictions after April 30th.
The four key dates in 2022 for the changes in rules on the green pass , on indoor masks and on mandatory vaccination are:
- April 1 when rules regarding the green pass were passed;
- May 1 the framework will change again, with the abolition of most of the restrictions;
- June 15 changes to vaccinations required for those over 50;
- December 31 will see easing of restrictions for health care workers.
The journey towards a post-Covid normality actually is not obvious. As the pandemic has taught us, drastic changes are not excluded if the wave of infections were to start to rise again. Despite the end of the state of emergency on March 31st, in case of need, the government has reserved the power to reintroduce limitations with decrees and, until December 31, 2022, the use of ordinances.
It is expected, given the current state of Covid cases, that starting May 1st we will see the end of the Green Pass at workplaces (but not for those that work in close contact with the public) and in other places and sectors that have required it up to now. For example, it will no longer be required for access ti indoor gyms, long-distance transport, hotels, dining indoors at restaurants, cinemas, theaters, stadiums and so on.
It is very likely, however, that the requirement of the “super green pass” will remain for those that work in the healthcare sector (doctors, nurses, health personnel) and those working in retirement/elderly communities. The pass is already not requested and won’t be for any hospital patients and for those who go to health facilities for health reasons. For the healthcare sector, vaccination rules remain in place until December 31, 2022.
Taking off masks when indoors
The part we care about most is knowing what happens with wearing masks indoors. While the end of the green pass indoors is already being taken for granted, there is still debate on whether the government will lift the rule regarding wearing masks indoors. There is discord within the government, some pushing to keep the rule, others to change it to a recommendation for use.
Among the ideas circulating is that there will be a possibility that the requirement for masks indoors will be removed in most places after May 1st, but left in place in places where there is high risk, such as on public transport including buses, subways and trains. What about school? While you might not be interested in that, we are 😉 Our oldest continues to wear a mask at school for 8 hours. The Minister of Education Patrizio Bianchi is oriented in having kids keep wearing surgical masks at school until the end of classes in June, while there is already an agreement in place between the Ministry of Labor and unions to foresee the requirement remains in place in sectors with greater contact with the public (supermarkets, shops, restaurants, bars).
We don’t know whether what will happen in cinemas, theaters and stadiums, where FFP2 masks are mandatory up until April 30th. For now, we’ve read that the requirement will be removed from stadiums seeing as the public is outdoors, but keeping the requirement in place in cinemas and theaters.
We still don’t know how it ends yet… but the new rules should be confirmed by the Council of Ministers after their meeting tomorrow. Stay tuned!
About Lourdes Flores
An American living in Florence for over 10 years, Lourdes continues to explore and discover new places in Tuscany with the eyes of a tourist but with the experience of living in Italy. She shares her experiences on this blog and website, particularly offering lots of travel planning help on the Forum!
