Govt to bring in 'Super Green Pass'

(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 24 - Premier Mario Draghi's executive is set to bring in a 'Super Green Pass' system that will exclude people who are not vaccinated for COVID-19 from many activities, sources said Wednesday after a meeting of the government's 'control room' coronavirus task force.
    The 'Super Green Pass', which would only be granted to the vaccinated and those who have recovered from the coronavirus, would be needed to take part in social, cultural and sporting activities even in low-COVID-risk white zones, although not to access work places.
    Draghi's cabinet is expected to pass the new rules, aimed at preventing contagion as the nation is hit by the fourth wave of the coronavirus, later on Wednesday.
    The new system would mean that, even if a region moves up to being a moderate-risk yellow zone or a medium-high-risk orange zone, there would not be any curtailment on shops, bars, restaurants and cultural and leisure activities, as long as the people involved have the Super Green Pass.
    However, all non-essential shops and activities would be halted for everyone, as in the past, if a region is classed as a high-risk red zone.
    Furthermore, people will have to wear facemasks outside if an area is a yellow zone or higher, the sources said.
    The new system would come into force on December 6, the sources said.
    At the moment the Green Pass shows that a person is vaccinated for COVID-19, has recovered from the virus in the last six months, or has tested negative in the last few days.
    So it is possible for unvaccinated people to obtain a Green Pass but they need to keep having tests every few days to get a new one.
    The Green Pass is currently needed to do a wide variety of activities in Italy, including to access cinemas, theatres and sporting venues, to travel on inter-regional trains and domestic flights, to sit at tables inside bars and restaurants, and to access places of work.
    The government is also set make vaccination for COVID-19 obligatory for teachers and police officers from December 15, the sources said.
    At the moment, health workers and care-home workers are the only groups of workers in Italy obliged to get vaccinated for COVID-19.
    Furthermore, the government is set to make having a third COVID vaccine obligatory for health workers. (ANSA).