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'Super green pass': Italy brings in new Covid restrictions on unvaccinated

The Local/AFP
The Local/AFP - [email protected]
'Super green pass': Italy brings in new Covid restrictions on unvaccinated
Visitors present their so-called "Green Pass" to be checked at the entrance to the Altare della Patria monument in Piazza Venezia on December 05, 2021 in Rome, as the city brought the obligation through December 04-31 to wear masks outdoors in the city centre and other busy shopping areas, in a bid to reduce the risk of covid infections among the crowds of people during the Christmas season. (Photo by Vincenzo PINTO / AFP)

Unvaccinated people in Italy face restricted access to some services from Monday as the government tightens rules aimed at keeping infection rates down.

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Italy has been requiring a ‘green pass’ or health certificate within the country as well as for travel since August.

From Monday, a 'super’ or rafforzato (strengthened) version of the green pass will only be available after vaccination or recovery, and no longer in case of a negative test result. It will be needed to attend sports events, concerts, theatres, indoor restaurants, and more.

EXPLAINED: How Italy’s Covid green pass rules change on Monday

The basic version of the green pass, which can also be obtained with a negative test result, will still be accepted in workplaces and on public transport. It will also now be required at hotels for the first time.

Doubts remain on Monday as to how the rules will be enforced on public transport, particularly at peak times.

Some activities, such as having a coffee at the bar of a cafe and dining outdoors, are allowed without any green pass at all.

The measures, which Prime Minister Mario Draghi says are needed to "preserve normality", will be in place until at least January 15th, with the possibility that they will be extended further into 2022.

The Italian government on Sunday also revealed additional rules meaning that, for many venues, the green pass requirements would apply differently depending on which coloured zone each region is in.

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In most cases, the rules are to be tightened if a region is declared a higher-risk ‘orange’ zone. In this situation, many venues and businesses which would have previously been closed down under orange zone restrictions can remain open but will require the ‘super’ green pass.

At the moment, all of Italy is either a low-risk ‘white’ or ‘yellow’ zone under Italy’s four-tiered system of  risk assessment, which has been in place since October 2020.

The two regions classed as yellow zones - Friuli Venezia Giulia and Bolzano - both border Austria, a country in partial lockdown due to the infection rate there.

READ ALSO: How do Italy’s new Covid rules affect tourists? 

These and other Italian regions could in theory be declared orange zones within weeks if numbers continue to rise.

The Italian government is relying heavily on the green pass system and the relatively high vaccination rate to keep the infection, hospitalisation and death rates down as another wave of contagion sweeps Europe.

However, Italy is currently faring better than many of its neighbours, with 15,000 cases out of a population of 60 million reported on Sunday.

READ ALSO: Italy considers bringing back outdoor mask requirement

Healthcare workers in Italy already have to be vaccinated under a law approved in April, but from December 15th the obligation will be extended to school staff, police, and the military.

Booster jabs are also being made available to all over-18s as of December 1st.

Almost 85 percent of over 12s have been vaccinated, health ministry data shows on Monday, and jabs will soon be available for younger children in Italy.

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Anonymous 2021/12/06 18:58
My number one question about the super green pass is, in simple language: What, if anything, do we holders of green passes need to do in relation to these new requirements? I was getting kind of irritated that no one seemed to be clearly answering that question, but then ... I think that question gets answered in the seventh paragraph of this other article: https://www.thelocal.it/20211203/explained-how-italys-covid-green-pass-rules-change-on-december-6th/ to wit: "The government hasn’t indicated that vaccinated or Covid-recovered green pass holders need to do anything to upgrade their pass – so it appears as though their certificates will automatically be considered a ‘super green pass’, and users can go on as before." That's "super good news" if true. OK, I'll sit down now.--CT
  • Anonymous 2021/12/07 10:52
    Hi Cary, Thanks for the question. Yes, that's correct as far as we know. The verification app has been updated and it looks as though there's no need for holders to do anything. We also answer that question our Q&A here: https://www.thelocal.it/20211125/qa-how-will-italys-new-covid-super-green-pass-work/ Thanks for reading, -Clare

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