Italy’s unvaccinated are about to face tougher restrictions as a surge of cases hits the country again. Services in Italy will be off-limits to anyone who has not gotten a Covid vaccination or cannot prove they recently recovered from a Covid infection.
Public transport, coffee shops, gyms, hotels, and some other everyday services will be restricted to those who are vaccinated or recently recovered. This is a change from the previous rules, which allowed people with a negative Covid test to use these services.
Prime Minister Mario Draghi said Monday that the small number of unvaccinated in Italy is largely responsible for the continued health crisis.
The new rules come one month after Italians were told that proof of vaccination or a recent recovery would be required in order to enter indoor restaurants, sporting events, theaters, and concerts.
Covid cases are soaring in the country, with the number of new daily cases rising past 100,000 at the end of 2021. On Sunday, there were 155,000 new cases.
Italy has a high vaccination rate. Nearly 90 percent of people age 12 and over are fully vaccinated, and nearly 75 percent of those eligible have received their booster shot too.
On Monday, Draghi said that the country cannot lose sight of the fact that most of the issues being had today were because of the unvaccinated.
In a country of 60 million, two million are currently infected with Covid. This is putting significant strain on essential services, including transportation, health, and schools. Many workers have had to isolate themselves after contracting Covid, leaving these industries short-staffed.
Strain is being put on hospitals as well, with some 16,000 in the hospital with Covid, and 1,600 in the intensive care units. Two thirds of those admitted to the hospital have been unvaccinated.
Last week, vaccinations became mandatory for anyone over the age of 50, making Italy one of a few European countries to take the step.
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