To protect its elusive white zone label of COVID-19 safety, the island of Sardinia will enforce a rigorous control plan and anti-virus rules for entry into the region.
- From next week, travelers may only enter Sardinia if they have been vaccinated and tested negative for COVID.
- For now, the swab tests carried out upon arrival at an Italy destination may be done voluntarily.
- Sardinia Governor Christian Solinas believes the solution to maintaining a safe travel environment is the establishment of a vaccination passport.
Sardinia is the only white area of Italy and it is determined to maintain this record of safety. While COVID-19 continues to run rampant and the rest of Italy is approaching “with long strides towards the red zone” – as stated by the former head of the Civil Protection and current Lombardy consultant, Guido Bertolaso – the Sardinian island has moved from the yellow zone to white which means the risk for the Coronavirus is low.
From next week, travelers may only enter Sardinia if they have been vaccinated and tested negative for COVID, as announced by Governor Christian Solinas. At the moment, the ordinance is expected shortly, even if bilateral protocols with the individual managers of ports and airports may stand against it. At least for now, the swab tests carried out upon arrival at an Italy destination may be done voluntarily.
Last September, the Sardinian TAR (regional administrative court) accepted the government’s appeal on the obligation to test for the new coronavirus entering the regional territory, effectively suspending the law issued by Solinas which imposed swabs on tourists arriving on the island.
Meanwhile, Solinas is determined: “From Monday, March 8, those arriving must hold a certification proving to be negative of the virus made 48 hours before boarding; they will pass by a fast lane and will leave the airport. Those without a certificate will undergo a quick test: if negative, they can easily access, if positive, the required protocols are triggered, and if asymptomatic they will have to go to quarantine.”
The solution is a vaccination passport: Solinas wants to maintain the isolation from the bug specially in anticipation of summer when the island is preparing to welcome thousands of tourists.
“We want to protect public health,” explained the Governor, “In this way, I am not only defending the health of the Sardinians but of the thousands of citizens of the world who come to Sardinia to spend a holiday.”
The Sardinian seaports control system
In the meantime, it is necessary to organize the seaports control system. The Ares-Ats Commissioner, Massimo Temussi, in charge to physically manage the swabs, would have been in Olbia for a first inspection of the infrastructures, while the President of the Authority of Sardinia port system, Massimo Deiana, is ready to collaborate with the health facility of the region: “We immediately granted our full availability, and discussions are underway. Soon there will be inspections: we will make available the spaces and routes in the seaports for passengers in Cagliari, Olbia, Porto Torres, Golfo Aranci, and Santa Teresa di Gallura.”
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