The anti-Covid rules in Italy are changing. From 1 February there will no longer be the “green pass base” or “reinforced green pass” nomenclature. To carry out some activities, or to access a precise list of essential services, it is necessary to have the vaccination certificate with you. Otherwise, access will be denied.
Without the green pass you will not be able to access the tobacconist or collect your pension at the post office. The checks will be made on a random basis. The choice was approved today by the Council of Ministers, and signed by Prime Minister Mario Draghi in the new Dpcm.
Among the exemptions, that is, the few but essential services that can be accessed without the green pass are food shops and basic necessities, access for the supply of drugs and medical devices, health and social health and veterinary facilities.
Likewise, for security reasons, access to the offices open to the public of the police forces and local police forces will be allowed, and for justice purposes, access to the judicial offices and the offices of the social and health services will be allowed exclusively for the non-postponable presentation and urgent complaints by victims of crimes or requests for judicial interventions to protect minors or incapable persons, as well as to allow the carrying out of investigative or judicial activities for which the presence of the person summoned is necessary.
Free access therefore to hypermarkets, supermarkets, grocery discount stores, mini markets and other non-specialized shops of various foods, where in any case the prohibition of consumption on the spot remains. Entry to those who do not have the green pass will also be allowed in retail stores of frozen products; of pet products; fuel for transport in specialized stores, sanitary articles, optics and fuel for domestic use and for heating.
Two years after the start of the pandemic in Europe, governments are facing a new wave of infections. However, for the World Health Organization, the time has come to take less limiting measures, at least as far as international travel bans are concerned.
The recommendation comes following the vademecum on international health “good practices” launched during a meeting of the WHO emergency committee. Travel restrictions, according to the organization, “do not provide added value and continue to contribute to the economic and social stress of some countries […] Closing the doors to individual nations could discourage transparent and rapid reporting of emerging variants”.
However, this is not the time to let your guard down completely. WHO has warned that more than 50% of the European population – around 250 million people – will have Covid in the next eight weeks. Hans Kluge, WHO director for Europe, warned that we must be very careful with forecasts about the future ”because the virus can still mutate and become a new threat.
The Omicron variant, dominant throughout Europe at this time, is much more contagious but less dangerous. The debate on the hypothesis of a return to normalcy has begun.
In recent weeks, many countries have changed the procedures for ending isolation in the event of contagion, quarantines have been reduced and in some cases the obligation to wear a mask has lapsed.
In the UK, some members of the government have proposed starting to treat Covid as an endemic disease, while in Spain the executive is organizing a system to treat the virus as a simple flu, only testing in cases with strong symptoms.
Experts from France – where the electoral campaign seems to determine the government’s line – and Germany consider that it is too early to talk about an endemic virus. But the German virologist Christian Drostenclaims that the time will soon come when Covid itself will update the population’s immunity. On the limitations, an intermediate route has been chosen in the country: the green pass is required for shops, restaurants and bars and the obligation to have an FFP2 mask on means of transport. The restrictions could be eased if the trend of the past few days of case reduction continues.
