Italy has approved this Thursday a decree law that obliges, as of October 15, all workers to present a health pass in their jobs, for both private and public sector employees, low risk of fines and suspensions if no-shows.

The decision of the Italian Government has sown doubts about how it will be applied in large companies and the reaction of workers, because there are millions of people over 30 who have not yet been vaccinated.

The Italian press had already advanced the news, which was finally confirmed by the Ministers of Health, Roberto Speranza, of Public Administration, Renato Brunetta, and of Regional Affairs, Mariastella Gelmini, after approving the decree in the Council of Ministers unanimously. The new regulation will affect some 23 million Italian workers.

The regulation provides that after five days of unexcused absence due to lack of health pass, the Administration worker public may be suspended from work and salary, while you can also apply penalties of up to 1000 euros, pick up Corriere della Sera. In the case of the private sector, the suspension will be from the first day that the health pass is not presented.

These measures are adopted “in order to protect the health and safety of workers, and, in any case, will not have disciplinary consequences and the right to maintain the employment relationship will be maintained“states the decree, which details that” during the suspension period no remuneration will be received. “

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi had already advanced that vaccination would be mandatory in recent days, with the intention of expanding vaccination figures in the European country as much as possible before the arrival of winter and an eventual new wave of infections.

Currently, more than 39 million Italians have the complete vaccination schedule against covid-19 but, if with the arrival of winter the figures deteriorate despite the imposition of the certificate, the Government will consider imposing mandatory vaccination.

A recent survey indicates that about 75% of Italians (almost 75% of the population over 12 years old has already been vaccinated) agreed with the obligation of the health certificate against the covid.

For those people who do not want to be vaccinated, coronavirus arrest tests will cost 8 euros in the case of minors and 15 euros for adults and in Italy they can be done in pharmacies, which are in charge of providing the certificate.

While for people with problems receiving the vaccine and have a medical certificate that justifies it, the tests will be free.