The new guidelines for limiting the spread of Covid-19 in public transport were validated by the Technical Scientific Committee (Cts) in the meeting of 30 March 2022 and will be adopted by order of the Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, in agreement with the Minister. of Sustainable Infrastructures and Mobility, Enrico Giovannini, pursuant to article 3 of law decree n. 24 of 24 March 2022, which will be signed today.
- No more green passes to get on buses and subways
- Obligation to have a basic green pass (obtained from vaccination, recovery or swab) to access planes, trains and ships
- Obligation to wear the FFP2 mask on all means of public transport
“The objective – explains Mims – is to accompany the gradual overcoming of the state of emergency, to favor the ordinary resumption of public and private activities, keeping attention on the measures necessary to prevent the risk of a resumption of infections”.
It is also expected:
- Sanitation of premises and means of transport
- Installations of dispensers of disinfectant solutions in stations, airports, ports and on means of transport
- Organizational measures to avoid gatherings
- Simple and clear communication in railway stations in subways, airports, bus stations and on means of transport, on the rules of conduct to counter the risk of contagion from Covid-19 after the end of the state of emergency.
“As part of the so-called ‘system measures’ , that is to say, which transversely affect all sectors of public transport, – explains Mims – the importance of continuing to provide citizens, in every place of departure and arrival, with communications on correct rules of conduct and hygiene, also through mobile information panels, to prevent the risk of spreading the virus and keep everyone’s attention and level of cooperation high, travelers and operators “. From 1 to 30 April the basic green pass will be enough to get on airplanes, ships and ferries used for interregional transport (with the exception of services on the Strait of Messina and connections with the Tremiti islands equivalent to local public transport), trains(from intercity, to regional trains, to high-speed trains), buses for long-distance services or for rental services with driver.
Furthermore, it continues to be mandatory to wear the FFP2 mask to access all means of transport, including taxis, NCCs and those for the school service dedicated to primary and secondary school students.
It is advisable to keep FFP2 mask sales points in stations and ticket offices, sanitize and sanitize the premises and means of transport at least once a day following the procedures established by the Ministry of Health and the Istituto Superiore di Sanita; install dispensers with disinfectant solutions both in stations, airports and ports, and on subways, buses and all means of regional and local public transport.
Users are advised not to use public transport if they experience flu symptoms. Among the sector-specific measures , in addition to the ‘system’ ones:
-For air transportoperators must adopt organizational and quota measures to avoid crowding in airport operations, boarding and disembarking and in baggage claim, access to airports and planes must be allowed only to holders of a basic green pass.
– In maritime transport, specific measures must be taken to sanitize the ship and port environments, allow access to the boarding areas only to those with a basic green pass and avoid any form of gathering during navigation, embarkation and disembarkation. .
-In local public transportthe specific measures concern, among other things, the constant exchange of air in the vehicles, differentiated doors, where possible, on buses and trams for entrances and exits, the installation in subway stations of equipment for self-purchase – ticket service that will have to be sanitized several times a day and the organization of diversified flows of entry and exit.
-In rail transport , specific measures range from maximum accessibility to stations and platforms to avoid crowding, to the provision of one-way routes within the stations and up to the tracks to keep incoming and outgoing flows separate, to sanitation daily and periodic sanitation of the common areas in the stations.
-In thelong-distance trains, it is possible to take advantage of the catering services in ways that avoid the transit of passengers to reach the bar car and the exchange of air on board must be guaranteed, both by means of air conditioning systems and by opening the external doors to the stops and, where possible, by opening the compartment doors.
-For cable cars, gondola lifts and chairlifts the use of the FFP2 mask is confirmed, access to the facilities must take place in an orderly manner, the vehicles and the premises must be systematically disinfected.
