By Italy Launches “Green Pass” Restricting Access to Theaters, Bars and more for Unvaccinated
(Lonely Planet) – Just days after France introduced a compulsory health pass to access cultural and leisure venues across the country, Italy is launching a similar scheme by expanding the digital COVID-19 certificate so that it’s required for access to cultural, wellness and entertainment venues in Italy.
Vaccine passports are becoming increasingly popular as countries figure out ways for non-essential businesses to continue to safely operate during the pandemic by keeping the virus out. Denmark was the first country in Europe to launch a COVID-19 pass scheme so that fully vaccinated people, as well as those who test negative or have recovered from the virus, could enter places like restaurants, museums and theaters. France followed suit this week with their own health pass—and now it’s Italy’s turn.
From August 6, people will need to present proof of vaccination, recovery from COVID-19 or a recent negative test to enter indoor venues like museums, theaters, football stadiums, swimming pools, spas, gyms and theme parks. The ‘green pass,’ as it is known, is an extension of the EU digital COVID-19 certificate and will also be required to sit indoors at bars and restaurants, the Italian government announced on Thursday.
The introduction of the green pass is meant to encourage vaccine uptake as the Delta strain spreads rapidly across Italy. “The virus’s Delta variant is menacing,” Italy’s prime minister, Mario Draghi, said at a press conference on Thursday night. “Without vaccinations we must close everything again,” he added.
