Italian retirees could be forced to present their coronavirus health pass in order to access their pensions in person as the government makes the Green Pass mandatory for banks and post offices.
Staring on February 1st, Italians wishing to access banks or post offices in person will be required to present the Green Pass, which is granted by the government to those who produce a negative test result for the coronavirus, those fully vaccinated, or those who have recovered from it.
The new rules will mean that any pensioners who collect their cheques in person at the post office or local bank will have to present the Green Pass, Il Giornale reports.
Banks and post offices are now considered “non-essential” under the new restrictive Green Pass rules, along with tobacconists. Smokers without the Green Pass will be forced to buy cigarettes from vending machines, rather than tobacco shops.
According to Il Giornale, just nine types of shops are now considered essential and exempt from the Green Pass, such as supermarkets and grocers, pharmacies, optometrists, petrol stations, pet shops, and a select few others. It will also be possible to enter police stations and judicial offices to file complaints and reports.
The restrictions come after the government expanded the Green Pass to include hairdressers and beauticians earlier this week.
The Super Green Pass, which is only granted to the fully vaccinated and those who can prove recovery from the virus, is also required to access public transportation as well as the country’s railways and has been required for indoor dining and attending various other venues since December of last year.
Italy has also been one of the few European countries to introduce a mandate for vaccination based on age, with all Italian residents over 50 expected to take the vaccine.
The measure was opposed by populist Matteo Salvini’s League despite being members of the grand coalition government.
“The League is opposed to the indiscriminate vaccination obligation and proposes to use scientific and not ideological criteria: the absolute majority of ICU admissions concern people over the age of 65,” a source within the party said earlier this month.
