Italy: Thousands protest against the mandatory COVID health pass for workers

In several parts of Italy, demonstrations erupted on October 15, Friday when one of Europe's toughest anti-coronavirus regulations came into effect, which is forcing all employees, including magistrates, to produce a health permit to enter their workplace. Police officers were deployed in the places as there was a possibility that anti-vaccination protests would turn violent, as it happened in Rome last week. Embassies have also issued warnings of probable unrest, AP reported. 

The mandated 'Green Pass' demonstrates confirmation of immunisation, a current negative test, or recovery from COVID-19 within the last six months. They were previously needed to enter all types of interior venues in Italy, such as restaurants, museums, theatres, and long-distance trains, and others. However, for a country that was a coronavirus hotspot earlier in the outbreak and has some of the maximum vaccine coverage in Europe, the inclusion of the workplace mandate has prompted intense discussion and resistance. 

Citing an anti-vaccine protester named Louis Mazzarato, AP reported, “Today they are stepping on our Constitution, I say NO to this discrimination.” Mazzarato was among the dozens of protestors who gathered in Trieste, where port employees refused to present a Green Pass to come to work, threatening to disrupt economic activity. 

Implementations of Italy mandates COVID health pass

For checking ‘Green pass’, electronic scanner machines that can interpret mobile QR codes with the Green Pass have been set up at larger places of work, like Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's office and the headquarters of state railway operator Trenitalia. While, at smaller businesses of restaurants to sports clubs, workers and administrators were required to download the application which could scan the codes. Although it was still uncertain how severely Italy would enact the measure. 

According to AP, Companies who would fail to check green passes for the workers might face fines ranging from 400 to 1,000 euros. Furthermore, any person who fails to present a legal Green Pass at employment will be declared to be absent without cause.  

Around 85% of Italians over the age of 12 have received nearly one vaccine shot, with an additional 1.2 million shots administered in the last week.  On October 9, Italy began administering COVID-19 vaccination booster shots to individuals over the age of 60. After the Italian Health Ministry authorised the procedure, the administration of shots began.  

Meanwhile, the latest COVID numbers provided by the Worldometer suggest that the total number of confirmed viral cases in Italy is 4,712,482 whereas the total number of fatalities due to COVID-19 is 131,503. More than 4,502,457 have been recovered from the disease. The number of active cases in the nation is 78,522, with 357 in critical condition.       

(Image: AP)