Covid pass to be required in Italy for many indoor venues as cases rise
Italy is to introduce Covid-19 passes for everyone aged over 12 to access a wide range of indoor venues, the latest European country to do so.On Thursday, the government approved an order for the use of the so-called “green” passes, starting on August 6.
To be eligible for a pass, individuals must prove they have received at least one vaccine dose in the last nine months, recovered from Covid-19 in the last six months or tested negative in the previous 48 hours.
As children over 12 have been offered the vaccine in Italy, the new rules apply to them too.
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It comes as daily Covid cases rose sharply again in the country. It's believed the increase has been fuelled in part by huge street celebrations after Italy’s Euro 2020 win earlier this month.
Health experts say the Delta variant of the coronavirus is rapidly gaining traction and facilitating transmission across much of the country.
According to officials, passes will be needed to dine indoors at restaurants or cafes, attend sports events, town fairs and conferences, and enter casinos, bingo halls, cinemas, museums, gyms and pools, among other activities.
The certification is needed to “to keep economic activity open″ and will allow people to enjoy entertainment ”with the assurance they won’t be next to contagious people,” Premier Mario Draghi said. “The Italian economy is going well. It’s reviving, and Italy is growing at a rhythm superior to that of other EU nations,″ he said. Some 40 million people in Italy have already downloaded a “green pass,” health minister Roberto Speranza said. He noted that the certification is already required to attend wedding receptions and to visit residents of care homes.
More than half of people in Italy older than 12 and thus eligible for Covid-19 vaccines have received two doses, and several million more have received a first dose. Thanks to vaccination, “pressure on hospitals is strongly diminished,″ Mr Draghi said.
While Italy was reporting nearly 400 virus-related deaths a day four months ago, the number has been far lower lately, with fewer than a dozen deaths recorded on some recent days.
“The vaccine campaign permitted the economy to revive,″ Mr Draghi said.
”The first thing I have to say is to invite all Italians to get vaccinated and to do it right away.”
Italy follows in the footsteps of France, which recently announced its residents will need to carry a Covid pass to enter restaurants, shopping centres, trains or planes.
As in Italy, French residents can get a pass if they are fully vaccinated, recently recovered from the virus, or have taken a fresh negative virus test. British holidaymakers in France will need a Covid pass to visit cultural and tourist sites, like the Eiffel Tower.