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Italy records over one million Covid green pass downloads in a day

The Local Italy
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Italy records over one million Covid green pass downloads in a day
A customer shows her Green Pass on a mobile phone in a central Rome bar on August 6, 2021, as Italy made the Green Pass, which is an extension of the EU's digital Covid certificate, required from today to enter cinemas, museums and indoor sports venues, or eat indoors at restaurants. (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

More than a million Covid 'green passes' were downloaded on Monday as Italy began its first working week under the newly extended health certificate rules, government figures showed.

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Some 1,049,384 people in Italy downloaded their 'green pass' on Monday, marking a new record, according to government data.

The surge in downloads came after Italy extended its health certificate or 'certificazione verde' system on October 15th, making it mandatory by law for all workers in Italy to show a green pass to access any workplace - with hefty penalties in place for those not complying.

READ ALSO: How Italy is enforcing the new workplace green pass rules

Now, all public, private, and self-employed workers across the country must produce a health certificate showing that they are vaccinated, recovered or have proof of a recent negative coronavirus test in order to enter any workplace.

While the latest extension of Italy's health pass requirement has prompted an increase in vaccinations, the download figures show the vast majority chose to take a Covid test instead - around nine in ten of the green passes came from a swab yesterday rather than a jab.

Out of the more than one million downloads, some 914,000 green passes were granted following taking a swab test, while 130,000 were downloaded following vaccinations.

Italy recorded an increase in the number of first jabs administered last week, ahead of the green pass expansion to workplaces.

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Around 400,000 first jabs had been administered since the week before, according to data presented by Italy’s coronavirus emergency commissioner on Friday.

Until last week, the number of first shots had been declining steadily since early August.

Italians queue to get their anti-Covid 19 vaccine. People queue to get their anti-Covid 19 vaccine. Photo: Andreas SOLARO / AFP

Those who refuse to be vaccinated will mostly only be able to attend work if they pay for their own tests either every 48 or 72 hours, depending on the type.

Those vaccinated are covered for 12 months after completion of the vaccination cycle, or if it's their first shot, their green pass is valid until they get their second dose.

The pass requirement has already been in place for school and university employees and care home workers since September, and a vaccine mandate has been in place since April for anyone working in healthcare, including in pharmacies and doctors’ offices.

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Also for the first time, the third dose of Covid vaccines outstripped first shots at 49,660 to 44,376 on Monday.

Italy began administering Covid booster vaccines to priority groups in September, based on those who are the most vulnerable.

Currently, people aged 80 years and over and staff and guests of residential care facilities for the elderly are receiving their third dose of an anti-Covid-19 vaccine.

A total of 642,415 third doses have now been administered, making up almost 8.5% of the population eligible for this booster.

81.4% of the Italian population over 12 years old is now fully vaccinated, making up some 43,965,128 people, according to the latest government figures on Tuesday.

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