Italy makes Covid-19 health pass mandatory for all employees

ROME • The Italian government has approved some of the strictest anti-Covid-19 measures in the world, making it obligatory for all workers to either show proof of vaccination, a negative test or recent recovery from infection.

The new rules will take effect on Oct 15, and are the latest effort by Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad coalition to persuade people to get inoculated and blunt contagion in one of the countries worst-hit by the virus.

Workers who fail to present a valid health certificate will be suspended on no pay, but cannot be sacked, ministers said on Thursday after the Cabinet approved the measures. People who ignore the decree and go to work regardless will face a fine of €600 to €1,500 (S$950-S$2,380). The sanction for employers will be €400 to €1,000.

"Nothing like this has been done in Europe... we are putting ourselves in the forefront internationally," said Public Administration Minister Renato Brunetta.

He added that the government expected an "enormous" acceleration of vaccinations simply by the announcement of the decree, so that much of its desired effect could be achieved before it actually comes into effect.

While some European Union states have ordered health workers to get vaccinated, none has made the "Green Pass" mandatory for all employees, making Italy a test case for the continent.

The pass was originally conceived to ease travel around Europe, but Italy was among a group of countries that swiftly made it a requirement for those also wanting to access venues such as museums, gyms and indoor restaurants.

There have been sporadic protests around the country in recent weeks against the growing pressure to get a jab, but most political parties as well as the main employers' federation have backed the move, hoping it will prevent further lockdowns.

Union leaders have been more lukewarm, saying tests should be given free of charge to workers who refuse to be vaccinated, enabling them to remain on the job.

The government rejected this request, but said the price of tests would be capped at €15 for work purposes, significantly below the current cost.

Italy has the second-highest Covid-19 death toll in Europe after Britain, with more than 130,000 people dying from the disease since early last year.

Around 74 per cent of its 60-million population have had at least one Covid-19 shot and 68 per cent are fully vaccinated, figures broadly in line with most other EU countries.

Underscoring the importance of jabs, Italy's health foundation Gimbe said in a report on Thursday that almost all Covid-19 sufferers now in hospital were unvaccinated. The report said vaccines had helped reduce deaths in Italy by 96.3 per cent, hospitalisations by 93.4 per cent and intensive care admissions by 95.7 per cent.

Italy in March ordered health workers to get vaccinated or face suspension. As of yesterday, 728 doctors have been suspended, the doctors' federation said on Thursday. It was not immediately clear how many nurses or carers had refused to comply.

A similar measure in France came into force on Wednesday. Health Minister Olivier Veran said that around 3,000 health workers had been suspended for their failure to get vaccinated.

REUTERS