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Italy will require all workers to show proof of vaccination, a negative test, or a recent recovery from the infection within the past six months effective October 15, 2021, according to Italian Minister Roberto Speranza. The decree approved by the government aims to persuade more people to get the vaccine amid fears of a potential surge in COVID-19 infection this winter.
Speranza said this mandate is to make the workplaces safer and the vaccination campaign even stronger. According to Speranza, the decree is a strategy that points to the vaccine as a fundamental key to open a new season. Any worker who fails to present a health certificate will be suspended. The sanctions for those who ignore the decree will face between 600 to 1,500 euros ($705-$1,175). Employers will pay 400 -1000 euros.
Public Administration Minister Renato Brunetta said that “Nothing like this has been done in Europe.” The government figures show that seventy-five percent of the Italian population aged 12 years and above are fully vaccinated.
The “certificazione verde,” or “green pass,” was earlier used to ease travel in Europe, but only in Italy is requiring its citizens if they want to enter cultural sites such as galleries, museums, sports, and entertainment venues, theme parks, spas, or dine-in restaurants. Its use also includes train and sea travel and domestic flights.
More pharmacies are carrying out antigen tests. These are free for people who are medically exempt from vaccination. However, those who refuse the vaccination for other reasons will pay for the test to get their “Green Pass.”
Although Italy emerged from a third-wave lockdown, it is in a state of emergency. They are studying the number of cases and bringing back some restrictions for individual regions graded for their infection and hospitalization rates. After the UK, it holds Europe’s second-highest death toll passing 100,000 deaths in March, according to the John Hopkins University data map.
The report says the vaccines helped reduce deaths by 96.3 percent, hospitalization by 93.4 percent, and intensive care admissions by 95.7 percent.
Written by Janet Grace Ortigas
Edited by Sheena Robertson
Sources
CNN: Italy to mandate Covid-19 ‘Green Pass’ for all workers, by By Saah Dean and Nicolo Ruotolo
REUTERS: Italy makes COVID health pass mandatory for all workers, ByCrispian Balmer and Giuseppe Fonte
Featured and Top Image by Città di Parma, Casa Settembre Gastronomico Bistrò Agorà – Courtesy of Wikimedia – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of David Zöller’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License