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Italy to introduce mandatory COVID vaccination for over 50s

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="A woman wearing a face mask sits at the Spanish steps, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections rise, in Rome, Italy, December 30, 2021. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/12/31/20211230-health-coronavirus-italy.jpg"/><figcaption>A woman wearing a face mask sits at the Spanish steps, as coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections rise, in Rome, Italy, December 30, 2021. <em>REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>ROME, Italy - Italy&#x27;s government said Wednesday that it would make vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory from February 15 for everyone over the age of 50, in a bid to battle surging infections.</p><p>&quot;We want to slow down the curve of contagion and encourage Italians who have not yet been vaccinated to do so,&quot; Prime Minister Mario Draghi said during a cabinet meeting at which the measure was adopted, according to a statement. </p><p>&quot;We are working in particular on the age groups that are most at risk of being hospitalized, to reduce pressure on hospital to save lives,&quot; he added.</p><p>The new decree obliges people over 50 who do not work to get vaccinated, and those who do work to obtain a vaccine pass -- which effectively covers all over 50s.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/31/21/italian-hospitals-under-strain-as-covid-hits-new-highs">Italian hospitals under strain as Covid hits new highs</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/12/15/21/italy-tightens-border-rules-amid-omicron-threat">Italy tightens border rules amid omicron threat</a></li></ul><p>In another statement, the government said that &quot;the vaccine pass will be necessary for people over 50 in the public and private sectors to access their workplace from February 15.&quot;</p><p>Out of Italy&#x27;s 59 million people, 28 million are over the age of 50, according to the Istat national statistics agency.</p><p>Late last month the government said that from January 10 a vaccination pass would be required to use public transport and access hotels, restaurant terraces and gyms.</p><p>Previously a health pass giving proof of vaccination -- or a recent negative test -- had been required.</p><p>As in much of Western Europe, Italy has seen its Covid cases soar in recent days, recording 189,000 on Wednesday, up from more than 170,000 on Tuesday. </p><p>A total of 1.4 people are currently positive in the country.</p><p>Italy was the European country first hit by the pandemic in early 2020 and still has one of the highest death tolls, at more than 138,000.</p><p>glr/dl/har</p><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1884954" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

Italy's government said Wednesday that it would make vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory from February 15 for everyone over the age of 50.