How is Italy?

[SimonCaldersPassport]

Due to travel to Tuscany towards end of August. Starting to wonder if this 'European Second Wave' is being talked about in Italy? I follow a few Italian SM pages for the area we are travelling to, and all seems well, and the daily figures seem reasonable.

However I've got 4 days before I can cancel and get a full refund and flip-flopping between going and not.

So as not to drip feed - we are visiting a family member who has serious health complications and not to put too fine a point on it - may not make it through the flu season, let alone Covid this winter. (We will test on arrival, and social distance at all times so as not to put them at risk) This could be the last opportunity for us to see them, and I know how much it will mean to them to see the DC.

Any MNetters in the area? How are things looking? Any talk of lockdowns?

So unsure of what to do.

@MorningManiacMusic I am still working on: do I need to go? I mean, if you need to go (family, etc), it might be better now than in 3 months or 6 months. Neither country is near their previous peak infection rates at the moment.

I know what you mean about Mumsnet - imagine going to even the local outdoor market without a mask here (that said, the one I go to is kinda cramped). Just, no. Far less an indoor supermarket.

Morning Sidewinder- yes, that's kind of my reasoning. I need to go at some point, lost my Mum in June and couldn't go then, but now have lots of paperwork to do at some point...and though can't see much changing in a week (would go next weekend probably) you never know!

OP- 14 new cases in Tuscany yesterday. I'm not sure about there but certainly in other regions the majority of new cases are of newly arrived migrants from north Africa who are tested upon arrival.

I am also debating when to visit the UK, or when it will be safest for parents (in 70s) to fly from UK to Italy.

Today's update for the region: 6 new cases, 5 of which picked up through track&trace, the other screening. In the region as a whole 16 people total are in hospital with Covid, nobody in ICU.
There is a small hotspot in Mugello, north of Florence, mostly involving young people. There are about 300 people in quarantine, lots of tracing and testing going on, and it seems to be under control.
I think it's pretty safe here, I'd be more concerned about flights and Italy imposing quarantine on arrivals from the UK.

@LeeMiller

I live in Tuscany. Life feels pretty normal most of the time, except everyone wears masks indoors, and lots of people wear them outdoors even when it's not a requirement. Some social distancing regulations still in place like only entering small shops one at a time. Public transport is empty where we live but I haven't been to Florence recently, for example, so might be different there. Where are you headed, OP?

The number of new cases in the region is very low now and there is extensive testing going on, pretty much everyone I know who works outside the home has been tested at least once. Hospitals are treating all their non-Covid patients again.

Well probably completely outing myself but we are off to Isola d'Elba. Which in and of itself holds its own problems - a UK plate car on there always draws attentions, but once there the car is parked and we use bikes/scooters to get around. At the moment I think we are of the mind to go - we just have to hope the Italian government don't impose restrictions on UK tourists

Thanks all for the latest info and figures.
I've also been trying to find out from SIL if there are any government/provincia online forms we need to do on entry to Italy/tuscany/Elba?
Now when you enter the UK (by any means) we have to do this Passenger Locator Information Form on the Gov.uk website and present at border control. Now obviously there isn't border control as such but I can't see if that kind of info is required by the Italian Government on arrival into the country.
Any ideas?

Oh I love Elba. I was actually (wistfully) looking up ferries the other day and it mentioned needing to fill out an online form for Sardinia/Corsica but not for Elba or Sicily. As far as I know there isn't anything specific you need to do if arriving from one of the countries not on the restricted list.

I am in northern italy at the moment. Things are pretty normal here. The only restriction I have noticed is that masks are being wore indoors. I would say adherence to this is high. Some elderly people seem to be wearing them outdoors too.

No one asked for documents when we drove over from France. We have been across the border to Switzerland too without anyone checking. They aren't wearing masks in Switzerland.

You will definitely be registered if you are staying at a hotel/renting an apartment as that is normal anyway. I don't know about if you are visiting family.