Italy: Protests break out against COVID vaccine passports in Rome, Milan, & Trieste

Italians on Saturday flooded streets in Trieste and or major cities, protesting against government’s new COVID-19 'Green Pass' rule. Italy recently rolled out an update mandating European Union's COVID-19 passport ‘Green Pass’ for public and private sector workers.

government warned earlier that any employee found without a health vaccine certificate "will be suspended on spot” and will not be entitled to pay for up to five days. Italian press reported on Saturday, October 2, that anti-vax demonstrators are now widely condemning Italian government’s move arguing that rule infringes ir freedom and civil liberties. government, however, defended mandate, saying that step was taken to curb coronavirus pandemic and avoid outbreaks driven by hyper contagious Delta variant. 

COVID-19 sceptics converged in Italian cities of Rome, Milan, and Trieste on October 2 to oppose Italian vaccine mandate and government’s immunisation program, chanting “Keep your hands off our children,” local press reported. In Bergamo, once epicentre of coronavirus pandemic, protesters marched demanding that ministration roll back vaccine certificates mandate.

Bergamo h witnessed a humanitarian crisis during peak of pandemic as hospitals were deeply strained and clinicians and medics were exhausted from being pushed to brink of ir maximum capacity. Italian city h battled an uncontrollable onslaught of COVID-19 patients in ICU, majority of whom were intubated. Military trucks were seen ferrying corpses out of town as pandemic battered city with a shocking 500% spike in fatalities in March 2020. More than 30% of Italy’s national coronavirus death toll comes from Lombardy, a town in Bergamo. 

‘Green Pass’ passport scheme to take effect from October 15

Italy’s prime minister Mario Draghi announced last month that government’s extension of ‘Green Pass’ passport scheme will take effect from October 15. Italy me it compulsory for medical workers, teachers, and university students, to at least present proof for one dose of vaccination or a negative RT-PCR report taken in past 24 hours.

Citizens are now being urged to mandatorily produce a digital or paper ‘COVID-19 immunity certificate’ to avail services at public venues, such as using transportation via rail and buses. Customers are required to show Green Pass for dining inside restaurants or go to gym. Italy was first European country to make coronavirus health passes mandatory for both public and private-sector workers effective October 15. While Italian ministry argued that citizens did not have to minister jab if y choose and inste take a test, residents are arguing that it costs 50 euros to do so and testing implies waiting in long queues.