Teacher stuck in a Covid quarantine in Italy is allowed to return home

A teacher who was forced to quarantine in Italy for two months after testing positive for coronavirus has finally returned home to Sussex.

Will Castle, from Haywards Heath, was stranded in a cheap hotel in Florence until he tested negative for Covid twice. 

He says he's devastated the two friends he was travelling with are still being kept in Italy. 

Will and his friends have been stuck in Florence in quarantine

Will was reunited with his family after flying into Gatwick Airport from Italy. 

He spent two months in self-isolation there, and was only allowed out when the authorities were satisfied he was free of coronavirus. 

But his friends Rhys and Quinn are still trapped there.

  • Will Castle

The three friends had been teaching in Florence when they tested positive for the virus back in August. 

The three friends had been teaching in Florence, Italy when they tested positive for Covid-19

Regulations in Italy mean they needed to test negative twice before being allowed out of quarantine.  Will is the only member of his group who has tested negative twice so far.

  • Nicky Castle

The teachers' self-isolation has been spent in a cheap hotel, surviving on sometimes basic food.  Their physical and mental well-being under strain.

The three teachers were given basic food

  • Jim Castle

The friends have been told their positive tests may only be picking up dead cells, and they're probably no longer infectious.

But until something changes, Will is the only one who's been allowed home.