(ANSA) - ROME, JUL 15 - The government is considering expanding the scope of the Green Pass, using it for access to long-distance travel on flights, trains, ferries and coaches, as part of the effort to combat a resurgence in COVID-19 contagion due to the spread of the Delta variant, sources said on Thursday.
The green certificate, which shows that someone is vaccinated for the coronavirus, has recovered from it or has recently tested negative, is currently necessary to travel abroad and for access to certain events, such as weddings, sporting events, concerts, and in order to visit care homes.
There have been calls for Italy to follow the example of France, where the green pass will be obligatory to enter places of culture where there are over 50 people soon and will then also be necessary to access bars, restaurants, shopping centres, trains, coaches and aeroplanes in August.
Premier Mario Draghi's government will consider making the green pass obligatory for long-distance travel at a meeting of its COVID-19 'control room' taskforce on Monday or Tuesday, the sources said.
Furthermore, for some activities the green pass will only be valid when a person has had two vaccine doses, in line with how the pass is being used in the rest of the EU.
At the moment people in Italy also get a version of the green pass after the first dose.
Health Minister Roberto Speranza said Wednesday that 28.4 million green cards had been downloaded from the ministry's website.
The aim of expanding the use of the green pass would be to prevent the need for restrictions to be reimposed to stop the spread of the coronavirus. (ANSA).
