Mandatory health pass in Italy from August 6

The Health Pass, also known as the “Green Pass” on the peninsula, can be given from the first dose of the vaccine, but can also be given to individuals who have been cured and those who have had a negative test in the previous 48 hours.

The Mario Draghi-led government decided on Thursday evening that Italy would introduce a mandatory health pass on August 6 to access closed spaces such as bars and restaurants.

“The Health Pass is a tool that allows Italians to continue their activities with the assurance that they will not be found among infected people,” the Prime Minister explained, adding that the Council of Ministers had approved the move at the end of a press conference in Palazzo Ciki, the seat of the Roman government.

In addition to bars and restaurants, this pass is accessible to swimming pools, sports halls, museums, cinemas and theaters and playrooms.

Health passes are also required for sports events, concerts, shows, exhibitions and conferences, especially those suitable for meetings and sources of pollution. The discos will be closed until further notice, but the department is benefiting from public assistance.

Released from the first dose of the vaccine

The Health Pass, also known as the “Green Pass” on the peninsula, can be given from the first dose of the vaccine, but can also be given to individuals who have been cured and those who have had a negative test in the previous 48 hours.

Acceptance of the Health Pass is subject to tensions within the government majority, with the League’s (right-wing) leader Matteo Salvini particularly warning against “rigorous, advanced and unmeasured choices, excluding the right of the majority Italians to work and freedom of movement”.

Italy is currently recording a few thousand new cases and a few deaths every day, but its basic trend is upwards. On Thursday, 5,057 cases were registered, while the country did not exceed 5,000 new cases in the 24 hours from May 21.

“Delta variation is threatening because it spreads faster than other types,” Mario Draghi warned. “I invite all Italians to be vaccinated and I urge them to do so immediately,” he stressed, while delighted that “more than half of Italians have completed the vaccination cycle.”