Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa
said Friday that making vaccination for COVID-19 obligatory was
not on the government's agenda at the moment.
In October the government extended the scope of the Green Pass
health certificate, which shows that a person is vaccinated for
COVID-19, has recovered from it in the last six months or tested
negative in the last few days, making it obligatory to access
places of work in Italy.
Furthermore, a Super Green Pass system is coming into force
which will exclude people who are not vaccinated for the
coronavirus from a wide range of cultural, social and leisure
activities, such as being able to go to a cinema, theatre or
sports event or sit at a table inside a bar or restaurant.
Although Italy has suffered a major upswing in COVID contagion
in recent weeks, the situation is not as bad as in many other
parts of Europe.
"Today making the vaccine obligatory is not on the agenda,"
Costa said.
"We have decided to establish a relationship of trust with
citizens, which has given excellent results.
"We are second in Europe for (the proportion of) people
vaccinated.
"Italy has already addressed the obligatory (vaccine) issue.
"We were the first to introduce it for health workers and from
December 15 this (obligation) will be extended to police and
school personnel.
"Subsequently we will evaluate the epidemic data.
"We are ready for further assessments, but at the moment we will
continue as we are".
Earlier this week European Commission President Ursula Von Der
Leyen said that it was time to think about making COVID
vaccinations compulsory and Premier Mari Draghi has said in the
past that he would be in favour of this.
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