The government is set to cut the length of quarantine after coming into contact with a COVID-positive person for those who have had the third or booster dose of the vaccine starting at the beginning of January, sources said Tuesday. The idea is to cut self-isolation from seven days to 3-5 days for the triple-jabbed amid a surge in the highly infectious but less severe Omicron variant, they said.
The government's advisory scientific panel on COVID, the CTS, has been convened to give an opinion on Wednesday. Italy currently has some 2.5 million people in isolation after contacts with COVID cases. Unless the quarantine time is shortened, sources said, there may be a "paralysis" of productive activities.
COVID czar Francesco Figliuolo has confirmed that the Italian government is considering shortening a seven-day quarantine for people vaccinated against the coronavirus who have come into contact with someone with COVID-19. The emergency commissioner said scientists were studying the move with the Higher Health Institute (ISS). At present the quarantine for the non-jabbed is longer, 10 days, he noted.
Well-informed sources told ANSA the government is weighing cutting quarantine for those who have had their booster jab, and may also go on to consider it for those who are double-jabbed. The independent health group GIMBE said quarantine should be reduced for those who have had their third, or booster, jabs.
Two northern Italian governors from the rightwing League party, Luca Zaia of Veneto and Massimiliano Fedriga of Friuli, on Monday joined the chorus of those saying quarantine should be cut for those who have had the booster jab. The gap between having the second COVID-19 jab and the booster dose will fall from six to four months from January 10, Figliuolo also said Monday.
