Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa
said Wednesday that the government will start easing Italy's
COVID-19 Green Pass regime next month.
The so-called Super Green Pass, which shows a person is
vaccinated for the coronavirus or has recovered from it, is
currently obligatory to do almost all leisure, social, cultural
and sporting activities in Italy.
It is also mandatory for all over-50s, on the grounds that they
are more likely to get seriously ill if they contract COVID-19,
meaning that they have to have it to enter places of work.
For under-50s the basic Green Pass, which can be obtained with a
negative COVID test but is only valid for a few days, is
sufficient to access workplaces.
"A schedule will be set in the next few days and a gradual phase
of relaxation (of the COVID measures) will start on April 1,"
Costa told RAI radio.
"There will be situations in which the Green Pass will no longer
be necessary, such as in open-air bars and restaurants and other
venues outdoors.
"I think that this will definitely not be necessary any more in
April.
"Then other things will be relaxed and by the end of June we
will have a scenario that will enable us to reach the summer
without restrictions".
He added that the over-50s may be allowed to enter places of
work with the basic Green Pass, rather than the 'Super' one,
before June 15.
"This would enable many (unvaccinated over-50s) to return to the
work by having a test every two days," he said.
Another health undersecretary, Pierpaolo Sileri, admitted
Wednesday that there has been a "slight increase" in COVID
contagion in Italy recently but stressed that the same thing had
occurred in other European countries and he said that the rise
had not led to an increase in hospital admissions.
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