The Tuscan medieval hill town of Montefioralle, above Greve in Chianti. Photo by Rosanna Cirigliano
For an easier transition for residents who have recovered from COVID-19, Tuscan governor Eugenio Giani has just signed a mandate that they can come out of quarantine and return to normal life 24 hours after a negative test. This is designed to cut through the slow bureaucracy of waiting for attestation via a text message from the Tuscan health department or the reactivation of one’s ‘Super Green Pass’ by the Italian government. According to Giani, with the negative test in hand, people should have no problem doing what they were doing before while waiting for the digital paperwork to arrive.
The current regulations are: those who test positive with no symptoms must quarantine for 10 days, seven with a booster shot or having received a second vaccination less than four months, 10 days for everyone who has symptoms. Here is a list of Tuscan Health Department phone numbers to call regarding communicating a diagnosis, and to notify the start and end of self-isolation or quarantine.
The latest ordinance also outlined a change for garbage disposal from premises where COVID patients are in isolation: ALIA will now longer deliver the red trash bags that require special pickup because of the huge number of cases. From now on, garbage from COVID-affected households must simply be placed in at least one bag inside another, put outside the door where a relative or friend will take it to the nearest bin.
As of January 12, 2022, 534,357 Tuscan residents out a population of 3,700,000 have been diagnosed with COVID since the start of the pandemic. In the same time period, 347,888 have recovered from the virus, and 7,755 people have died of COVID.
Public transport workers have been hard hit by the Omicron wave of contagions. A total of 632 bus drivers (675 on January 14) are presently in quarantine out of a total of 4,000, leading to significant cuts in service throughout the region.
34% of Covid patients in Italian hospitals were admitted with other illnesses and were tested and diagnosed with COVID before being admitted for other reasons. 50% of all non-essential surgery is currently being postponed. A total of 3,172,800 residents (out of 3,700,000) in Tuscany have been given their first jab, with 1,505,174 already having received the booster. There has been a significant upswing in first jabs for people over 50 given that it will become mandatory (rosanna cirigliano)
