Coronavirus: Thread

[grarpamp]

Huge Dock Worker Protests In Italy, Fears Of Disruption, As Covid
'Green Pass' Takes Effect

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/10/15/world/italy-covid-green-pass
https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/15/world/italy-green-pass-covid-protests-intl/index.html
https://thehill.com/policy/international/europe/576888-italy-launches-mandatory-covid-19-health-pass
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/15/world/europe/covid-passes.html

https://twitter.com/ElectionWiz/status/1448978040063672320
https://twitter.com/alessiopadella/status/1448923512337469456

Following Israel across the Mediterranean being the first country in
the world to implement an internal Covid passport allowing only
vaccinated citizens to engage in all public activity, Italy on Friday
implemented its own 'Green Pass' in the strictest and first such move
for Europe.

The fully mandatory for every Italian citizen health pass "allows"
entry into work spaces or activities like going to restaurants and
bars, based on one of the following three conditions that must be met:

    proof of at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine

    or proof of recent recovery from an infection

    or a negative test within the past 48 hours

Via AFP

It's already being recognized in multiple media reports as among "the
world's strictest anti-COVID measures" for workers. First approved by
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi's cabinet a month ago, it has now
become mandatory on Oct.15.

Protests have been quick to pop up across various parts of the
country, particularly as workers who don't comply can be fined 1,500
euros ($1,760); and alternately workers can be forced to take unpaid
leave for refusing the jab. CNN notes that it triggered "protests at
key ports and fears of disruption" on Friday, detailing further:

    The largest demonstrations were at the major northeastern port of
Trieste, where labor groups had threatened to block operations and
around 6,000 protesters, some chanting and carrying flares, gathered
outside the gates.

    Around 40% of Trieste's port workers are not vaccinated, said
Stefano Puzzer, a local trade union official, a far higher proportion
than in the general Italian population.

    HAPPENING: Huge crowd of dock workers and others block the
entrance to the Port of Trieste, Italy to protest against the
compulsory vaccine passport, which goes into effect today. Other large
protests are currently underway across the
country.pic.twitter.com/8GTamwIUCN
    — Election Wizard (@ElectionWiz) October 15, 2021

Workers at the large port of Trieste have effectively blocked access
to the key transport hub...

    Porto di Trieste ore 10.00#trieste#portoditrieste
#portualidiTrieste #portuali pic.twitter.com/pwAqNlFkRv
    — CarcarloPravettoni (@alessiopadella) October 15, 2021

As The Hill notes, anyone wishing to travel to Italy anytime soon will
have to obtain the green pass: "The pass is already required in Italy
for both tourists and nationals to enter museums, theatres, gyms and
indoor restaurants, as well as to board trains, buses and domestic
flights."

The prime minister had earlier promoted the pass as a way to ensure no
more lockdowns in already hard hit Italy, which has had an estimated
130,000 Covid-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the requirement of what's essentially a domestic Covid
passport is practically catching on in other parts of Europe as well,
with it already being required to enter certain hospitality settings
in German and Greece, for example. Some towns in Germany have
reportedly begun requiring vaccination proof just to enter stores. So
likely the Italy model will soon be enacted in Western Europe as well.