After restaurants, swimming pools, gyms, cinemas, stadiums and theaters, the government approves the new decree that makes the use of the green pass mandatory for schools, universities and long-distance transport. The text, 10 articles, enters into force the day after its publication in the Official Gazette, therefore by 7 August.
School and university: penalties for staff who do not get vaccinated
The main innovations concern the school and the university, with the obligation of certification that will also apply to university students, a hypothesis that had not emerged in recent days. Prof and non-teaching staff must have and exhibit the certification and if they do not, sanctions will be triggered: failure to comply with the provisions, says the draft of the decree, “It is considered unjustified absence” and after 5 days the employment relationship “is suspended and no salary or other remuneration or emolument is due”. teachers who do not want to get vaccinated can still enter the classroom, but exhibiting a new swab every 48 hours.
The controls will be up to the school managers. Again with regard to the school, the decree recommends respecting the spacing of one meter, “unless the structural-logistical conditions of the buildings allow it” and reiterates the obligation to wear a mask for all students, with the exception of children under 6 years and for those with pathologies incompatible with use. However, the government does not rule out the possibility of staying in class without a mask: for classes of students “who have all completed the vaccination cycle or have a certificate of recovery”, the protocols may provide for exceptions to the obligation. The decree, on the other hand, is very restrictive on the possibility of waiving the presence of students in the classroom. The governors will be able to arrange the Dad only for “specific areas of the territory or for individual institutions … exclusively in the red or orange zone” and “in circumstances of exceptional and extraordinary need due to the onset of outbreaks or the extremely high risk of spreading the virus or its variants in the school population “.
*** Subscribe to the Special Coronavirus Newsletter
Tampons at 8 euros from 12 to 18 years
Always with a view to favoring the return to school, the Commissioner for Emergency Francesco Figliulo signed the memorandum of understanding with the pharmacies for antigenic swabs at controlled prices: young people aged 12 to 18 will pay 8 euros, the over 18 instead 15. In bookings, pharmacies will have to give priority to children and will have a total remuneration of 15 euros, 7 of which will be covered with a contribution from the state.
Long distance transport
The other central point of the decree is the obligation of the green pass for long-distance transport, which takes effect from 1 September. It must be shown to board airplanes, ships and ferries, high-speed trains and Intercity trains and also scheduled buses that connect different regions or those for hire with driver. The checks will be carried out by the service managers and whoever is found without the pass will have a penalty from 400 to one thousand euros. On the other hand, there is no obligation for connections with the smaller islands and for the Strait of Messina, for buses and subways of local public transport and for regional buses and trains. For both long-distance and local public transport, the capacity will rise from 50 to 80%, both in the white and yellow areas.
Hotels
In the decree there is no specific rule but the CDM has confirmed what has already been foreseen: customers who want to access the restaurants and bars indoors within the structures will not have to use the green pass. For the wellness centers of the hotels, however, the pass will be used as established by the July decree.
Quarantine vaccinated
The control room among the majority group leaders also gave the green light to two other measures. The first concerns the quarantine for those who have completed the vaccination cycle and come into contact with a positive at Covid: they will have to remain in isolation no longer 10 days but seven, at the end of which they will have to take a swab. An ordinance by the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza defines the procedure for those who have done the experimentation with the Reithera vaccine and have had one or two doses of that drug: there will be a certificate of temporary vaccination exemption valid until 30 September. The certificate will be issued by the doctor in charge of the center where the administration was made.
San Marino
An exemption is also provided by the decree for citizens residing in San Marino, where most of the population is vaccinated with Sputnik, the Russian drug not recognized by the EMA. For them there is an exemption until 15 September.
Hope: green pass victory of the country, not of one side
“The provision on the green pass was unanimously approved in the CDM: for me – finally said the Minister of Health Roberto Speranza – it is absolutely not the victory of one side but of the country because it is a fair measure that will help us manage this phase”.