Rome — Italy will soon require people to have passes reflecting their health status to access gyms, museums, movie theatres, the inside of restaurants and other venues, as the covid-19 cases are climbing again.
Premier Mario Draghi’s government approved a decree Thursday ordering the use of the so-called “green” passes beginning on Aug. 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 last 48 hours.
In addition to hospitality businesses, a health pass — called a green pass in Italy — will be mandatory to access swimming pools, gyms and sports halls, sports events, concerts, fairs and cultural venues including museums, cinemas, and theatres. Nightclubs are not included in the measure and will remain closed for now.
The certification is needed “to keep economic activity open″ and will allow people to enjoy entertainment ”with the assurance they won’t be next to contagious people,” 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,″ the premier told reporters.
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 the first dose.
“The vaccine campaign permitted the economy to revive,″ Draghi said. ”The first thing I have to say is to invite all Italians to get vaccinated and to do it right away.”