Italy sees Green Pass surge after new rules came into force.

More than one million covid Green Pass certificates were downloaded in Italy on Monday, after the government brought in legislation making the health pass mandatory for every worker in the country.

Under the new rules, all workers must have a Green Pass, a digital or paper certificate showing that people have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from covid-19.

• What are Italy's Green Pass rules for workers?

Unvaccinated employees may enter the workplace but only if they undergo a covid test every 48 hours, at their own expense, with a fixed cost of €15.

According to the latest official data from the government, out of the 1,049,384 Green Passes downloaded in Italy on 18 October, 914,000 were generated from negative test results while 130,000 were a result of vaccinations.

• Where in Italy is the covid Green Pass required?

Just over 81 per cent of Italy's vaccinable population (over the age of 12) is fully vaccinated against covid-19.

Since the new rules took effect on 15 October, Italy has seen sporadic protests against the Green Pass obligations for workers, notably in Trieste, with reports of lengthy queues for tests at pharmacies around the country.

• Green Pass: How to get Italy's digital covid cert and how it works

Details about the Green Pass can be found - in Italian - on the Certificazione Verde website while for official information about the covid-19 situation in Italy - in English - see the health ministry website. 

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