Italy’s vigilance has been paying off.

It certainly seems that way when one looks at what is happening elsewhere in Europe. Our numbers, while steadily rising, are markedly less.

Austria’s numbers are so bad that the country is under a national lockdown. And it’s so dire that tourists can’t enter until at least December 13. After that, the G-2 rule will be in effect again. Proof of vaccination or recent recovery from Covid is required for the lion’s share of activities. A negative Covid test won’t fly anymore. Read more about Austria here.

Germany with its troubling infection rates is scrambling to ramp up vaccinations, and there is widespread talk about mandatory vaccinations.

“Germany’s new government wants to make vaccinations compulsory, a move that nearly two-thirds of the public supports.”

-dm.com read the article here

Eastern Europe seems to be suffering significantly as the result of very tepid vaccination implementation and acceptance.

Italy is stepping up its measures with new restrictions and a Super Green Pass.

The government is steadily applying pressure to contain Covid and keep the Italian economy chugging along. For quite some time now, most out-and-about activities require basic Green Pass requirements. A person could obtain the pass by being vaccinated, proof of recent recovery, and/or a negative covid test. But now you can’t get a Super Green Pass via a negative test. And this heightened pass is now being required in more venues (e.g. bars and discos, sports events). Dining indoors is now impossible without the Super Green Pass.

But, with the Super Green Pass, it’s complicated.

How? I stared at a rather intimidating chart in today’s paper that layers in the Covid color-codes (white, yellow, orange) that are applied to regions based on their infection rates. If a region starts flashing yellow, the new restrictions become more severe. If one’s region goes orange, a person’s wings are significantly clipped if they are not vaccinated or don’t have documentation of a recent recovery.

Bolzano and Friuli Venezia Giulia (both bordering Austria) are currently yellow zones. If numbers continue to rise, these may go orange and may be joined by other regions.

Check out the photo of the chart in today’s Corriere della Sera. Have fun figuring it all out.

Italy's Super Green Pass color-coded guide

Keep Italy open and thriving

That’s the goal of PM Draghi. The new restrictions are in place until January 15, 2022, when the situation will be reassessed. No one is keen to see Italy shutting down again and this plan is intended as a set of valves and controls to keep Covid in check and allow people who are fully vaccinated or recently recovered to continue life as close to normal as possible.

For further reading about the Super Green Pass…

Check out these two excellent articles:

‘Super green pass’: Italy brings in new Covid restrictions on unvaccinated —thelocal.it

Today the super green pass debuts: faqs on restaurants, work, over 12, and travel —Corriere della Sera

(you’ll need DeepL or Google Translate if you want to read in English)