Starting October 1, The Vatican will ask for a vaccine passport that shows a vaccine, a recovery from the virus, or a recent negative test to enter the city-state.
Catholic cathedrals in Italy had already controversially implemented vaccine passport mandates.
According to an ordinance published on September 20, visitors to the city-state, and employees of the Vatican, will be required to show a digital or paper COVID certificate. The president of the Vatican, Cardinal Giuseppe Bertello, issued the order at the request of the Pope, who requested “to take all appropriate measures to prevent, control and combat the ongoing public health emergency in the Vatican City State.”
However, the vaccine pass mandate does not apply to Catholics attending mass or other liturgical celebrations. Catholics will be allowed to attend liturgical celebrations “for the time strictly necessary for the conduct of the rite,” while observing masking and social-distancing requirements.
Visitors without the pass will be denied entry to the city-state and employees without the pass could be suspended or penalized with fines of up to $1,800.
The ordinance mandating vaccine passes was signed on September 18, a day after the Italian government announced the extension of its vaccine mandate to more venues.
The post The Vatican introduces vaccine passports appeared first on Reclaim The Net.
Reclaim The Net is a free speech and online privacy organization that defends our individual liberty by pushing back against big tech and media gatekeepers. Much of their work focuses on exposing digital tyrants and promoting free speech and privacy-friendly alternative online services. Visit reclaimthenet.org