[ad_1]
The law, which will penalize workers who are not vaccinated or have no evidence of a recent negative coronavirus test, will take effect on October 15.
“The government is ready to accelerate the ‘green passport’ … not only for the public but also for the private sector,” Regional Affairs Minister Mariastella Gelmini said on Wednesday.
A passport is a certificate that shows whether a person has been vaccinated against COVID-19, has had a negative test in the last 48 hours, or has recently recovered from the virus. Currently, a passport is required for all Italians wishing to dine in restaurants, go to cinemas and sports stadiums, travel on intercity trains and buses or fly on domestic flights, as well as teachers.
In Italy, just over 40 million people have been fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, which is equivalent to around 75%. population over 12 years old. The government hopes to increase that number by another four million.
“Only by vaccinating the majority of the population can we control the transmission of the virus. The vaccine is the only weapon we have against COVID,” Gelmini told Rai radio.
Under the new law, employees who fail to present a passport face a fine of 600 to 1,500 euros, Reuters reports.
According to them, an employee can be removed from his position for unjustified absence from work without this passport.
Unions have asked the government to provide free coronavirus tests to unvaccinated workers.
“They have to be free, people cannot pay to work,” said Maurizio Landini, director of CGIL, the largest union confederation. But Prime Minister Mario Draghi fears that the free tests will not encourage people to get vaccinated.
Italy was the first European country to receive a wave of coronavirus cases hit in February and experienced a severe recession. More than 130,000 have died since then. people with COVID-19.
Some other European countries require a COVID passport only for workers in certain sectors, and Greece this week started mandatory testing of all workers who do not have coronavirus.
It is strictly forbidden to use the information published by DELFI on other websites, in the media or elsewhere, or to distribute our material in any way without consent, and if consent has been obtained, it is necessary to cite DELFI as the source. .
[ad_2]
