Rome is now open to Americans as a destination for the holidays. Rome’s Fiumicino airport plans to allow Americans entrance without Corona Virus quarantine and Delta has already announced flights. But the catch is that travelers must pass a number of Covid-19 tests.
The first flights under the new system will begin in December and be limited to those coming out of New York’s JFK airport, New Jersey’s Newark Airport and Georgia’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta airport. But first all passengers must pass a Covid-19 test within 48 hours before they leave the U.S. They will then need to be tested again upon arrival in Rome. But at the airport they will be provided with rapid tests that have recently become available.
Delta will begin its flights to Rome on December 19, but only from Atlanta. The airline will have stricter guidelines than those required by Italian authorities, though. These will include a Covid-19 test taken 72 hours before departure, another rapid test administered at the airport in Atlanta before boarding, and then the rapid test on arrival in Rome-Fiumicino.
Will you offer us a hand? Every gift, regardless of size, fuels our future.
Your critical contribution enables us to maintain our independence from shareholders or wealthy owners, allowing us to keep up reporting without bias. It means we can continue to make Jewish Business News available to everyone.
You can support us for as little as $1 via PayPal at [email protected].
Thank you.
“Carefully designed COVID-19 testing protocols are the best path for resuming international travel safely and without quarantine until vaccinations are widely in place,” said Steve Sear, Delta President – International and Executive Vice President – Global Sales. “Safety is our core promise – it’s at the center of this pioneering testing effort and it’s the foundation of our standards for cleanliness and hygiene to help customers feel confident when they fly Delta.”
Delta has engaged expert advisors from Mayo Clinic, a global leader in serious and complex healthcare, to review and assess the customer-testing protocols needed for Delta to execute a COVID-tested flight program.
“Based on the modeling we have conducted, when testing protocols are combined with multiple layers of protection, including mask requirements, proper social distancing and environmental cleaning, we can predict that the risk of COVID-19 infection – on a flight that is 60 percent full – should be nearly one in a million,” said Henry Ting, M.D., M.B.A., Chief Value Officer, Mayo Clinic.
There is no word yet on other U.S. carriers which will also offer such flights to Rome.