So my family just got back from Italy. COVID-related thoughts:
-We were wearing the fairly lightweight surgery masks on the flight from Detroit, across Schiphol Airport, and the flight to Rome. However, once we got to the station to take the DaVinci Express into Termini, one of the clerks told us to dump the cloth masks and put on the N95, or the European equivalent thereof.
-Whatever the motivation (we figured it was because Italy got smacked right out of the gate with COVID), the Italians are not messing around. Nightclubs closed, N95 masks everywhere, Green Passes and/or proof of vaccination needed everywhere, temperature checks going into any attraction of substance, and everyone asking for said proof of vaccination everywhere, and not afraid to show you out if you don't have it. Fortunately, the places we went all recognized our American vaccination cards, the pictures of which we carried on our phones.
-Not only was everyone wearing masks inside, but everywhere outside too. EVERYWHERE.
-There may have been fewer masks outside of Rome, but the Italian definition of "fewer masks" is VERY different than the American definition of "fewer masks". In Italy, it was maybe 1 person in 20 that wasn't wearing an N95 outside. The American definition is 1 person in 20 wearing them. Especially at a Culvers in southern Wisconsin.
-As we were leaving, it was announced that the Super Green Pass was only going to be good if your last shot was less than 4 months ago.
Very different outlook on things. I'll have other thoughts on the trip on another thread.
