The first group of Italian nationals
who had been held up in the UK are returning to Italy on
Thursday.
Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio on Wednesday signed an order to
enable thousands of Italians to return home after Health
Minister Roberto Speranza suspended flights from the UK at the
weekend due to the spread of a new, more infectious strain of
COVID-19 there.
Around 170 people were booked on an Alitalia flight from London
Heathrow to Rome scheduled to land at 15:25.
They had to do a coronavirus test before departing and will have
to do another at Rome's Fiumicino airport.
Even if the tests are negative they will have to stay in
quarantine for 14 days.
Italians who reside in Italy or those who urgently need to come
back to Italy are being allowed to return.
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