Italian region to halt COVID testing upon arrival from China

Starting on Wednesday, Italy's Lombardy region will no longer require people arriving from China by plane to be tested for COVID-19 infections, ending a policy that lasted for two months, Guido Bertolaso, Lombardy's welfare counselor announced on Tuesday.

The announcement coincided with the closure of the region's main COVID-19 prevention center in the Palazzo delle Scintille. The center had been open for 674 days and had administered 2.4 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Speaking at the closing event on Tuesday, Bertolaso confirmed that "the checks carried out over the last two months are no longer necessary."

Italy introduced the testing regime in late December due to a rise in COVID-19 infections in China. The restrictions were loosened to random checks in late January.

Lombardy is Italy's most populous region and home to the country's financial and fashion capital of Milan. It is a popular destination for Chinese tourists and business travelers.