The only way to avoid the lockout

The morning ritual of coffee and breakfast in Italy became a little more complicated after the restrictions for unvaccinated citizens came into force.

People can still drink coffee and eat pastries while standing at the bar or sitting at a table outside without showing a so-called green pass. However, this does not apply if they are sitting inside.

"It's a bit embarrassing that I have to do this because it's basically another job," he told The Guardian. Pasquale di Sirio, the owner of a Roman cafe.

“In addition, I also have to download an app that checks if the customer's pass is valid or not. But really, it's not my job to check people's documents.”

The pass is required to stay in restaurants and to enter stadiums, museums, theaters, cinemas, exhibitions, swimming pools and gyms. From the first of September, it will be mandatory for all teachers, university students and for traveling by train, plane, ferry and intercity bus.

Digital or paper confirmation is available to people who have received at least one dose of the vaccine and to anyone who has recently recovered from covid-19 or who presents proof of a negative test before engaging in activities covered by the restriction.

In the days before the pass became mandatory, some bar and restaurant owners reported being insulted and threatened by vaccination opponents, or given bad reviews on the travel platform TripAdvisor.

There were protests in Italy after the news of the pass was announced in July, but the reaction was not as intense as in France, where a similar initiative led to demonstrations in recent weeks that saw some 300.000 people take to the streets. Opponents of the measures say that they limit freedom, discriminate against the unvaccinated and violate the rules of the European Union.

France's constitutional court on Friday approved the extension of the country's health pass to cafes and restaurants and long-distance train and bus travel.

"It's not very pleasant to ask guests to show their pass, but we have no choice," she said Andreina, also the owner of a cafe in Rome. "But if it encourages people to get vaccinated and helps us avoid lockdown, then that's a good thing," she told The Guardian.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi he urged all Italians to get vaccinated when he announced the plan in July. "Without vaccination, we would have to close everything again," he said.

In Italy, which is struggling to contain the spread of the delta strain, the number of infections rose to 7.230 on Thursday, from 6596 the previous day, with 27 deaths linked to the coronavirus. Italy has registered 128.163 deaths from Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic - the second highest death toll in Europe after the UK, and the eighth in the world. So far, it has had 4,38 million infected.

"If we had vaccines and a green card in March or April, I probably wouldn't have had to close," she said. Valentina Santanicchio, who runs the restaurant "Kapitano del popolo" in the town of Orvieto in Umbria. "That's why I think that in such a situation a green pass is the only alternative. I also think a vaccine is the only chance we have. Honestly, I don't understand the protests".

The Italian government is also working to ensure that students and teachers can safely return to classrooms in September after months of remote teaching.

"I was vaccinated and I strongly advocate vaccination, but I don't agree with the idea that you can't teach if you don't have a green card," she said. Analisa Distasi, a teacher from Umbria. "I think perhaps the priority should be to vaccinate students."

After five days of absence, teachers will no longer be paid.

In March, just one month after taking office, Prime Minister Draghi introduced mandatory vaccination of healthcare workers.

An increasing number of countries are looking for a way to convince unwilling parts of the population to get vaccinated.

President of the USA Joe Biden said last Sunday that federal government workers would be required to get vaccinated or face regular testing, new mask-wearing rules and travel restrictions.

In France, more than seven million people received their first dose since he was president Emanuel Macron published a sanitary pass on July 12. That picture in Italy is less clear.

"There is still hesitation among the over-50s," he told Reuters Nino Cartabelota, head of the Italian health foundation GIMBE.

About 65 percent of Italians received at least one dose of the vaccine, while 54 percent of them were fully vaccinated. These figures are generally in line with those of most European countries.

Malta first in the EU

Six EU members have now fully vaccinated a higher percentage of their citizens than Great Britain, which, unlike the 27-member bloc, has had an impressive start to the immunization campaign.

According to Our World In Data website, Britain was overtaken by Malta, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Denmark and Ireland.

By August 88, Malta had fully vaccinated 91 percent of the population, with 61 percent receiving at least one dose. Belgium has 70 percent fully vaccinated and 60 percent partially vaccinated, Spain 70% and 59%, Portugal 70% and 58%, Denmark 73% and 57,4%, and Ireland 68% and XNUMX%.

Britain, which started as one of the fastest in the world, fully immunized 57,3 percent of the population, and 69 percent partially.