the extended health pass in transport, restaurants and for teachers

Italy seems to follow the model of its French neighbor for the use of the vaccine passport. The Italian government on Thursday August 5 made the health pass compulsory for teachers, users of public transport – including domestic flights, ferries and long-distance train lines – as well as restaurant customers.

the “Green pass”, extension of the European Union (EU) digital Covid-19 certificate, will be mandatory from August 6 to enter cinemas, museums and sports halls, or to eat at restaurants inside establishment. It will become mandatory for passengers on domestic flights, long-distance trains and some ferries from 1er September.

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The pass will prove that its holder has been vaccinated with at least one dose, has recovered after being ill with Covid-19 in the past six months or having a negative virological test in the past 48 hours. School and university staff, as well as university students, must have a health pass. Teachers who do not have the health pass for five days in a row will be suspended and their salaries frozen, Italian media said.

86% of school staff vaccinated

Education Minister Patrizio Bianchi said at a press conference that more than 86% of school staff had been vaccinated and that this figure should approach 90%. Health Minister Roberto Speranza called on families to vaccinate children over 12 years old, and added that adolescents would have access to rapid detection tests at reduced prices.

Roberto Speranza said the health pass, which sparked protests in some neighborhoods, was crucial to stem the rise in the number of contaminations and called on Italians to be vaccinated.

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“The figures are encouraging, with 70 million doses administered”, underlined the minister. Use of the health pass “Will avoid closures and protect freedom”, he argued. The isolation period imposed on those who have tested positive or have been in contact with a Covid-19 patient is reduced from 10 to 7 days for those who have been vaccinated.

Italy was the first European country to oblige doctors and healthcare workers in the public and private sectors to be vaccinated. Unvaccinated people are prohibited from working in contact with patients. A group of 300 Italian caregivers have gone to court to try to get this obligation canceled.

The World with AFP