Italy: COVID 'Green Pass' needed for museums, indoor dining

Besides an admission ticket, visitors to Italy's museums and theaters now must show proof they've had a COVID-19 vaccine, recovered from the illness or recently tested negative

ROME -- Pompeii's archaeological park is offering free swab tests, the Vatican Museums posted refund instructions and tourists whipped out smart phones to show QR codes along with admission tickets Friday as a new COVID-19 certification rule took effect in Italy as part of the government's plan to rein in a summer surge in infections. A so-called “Green Pass” is now required to enter gyms, theaters, indoor pools and inside areas of restaurants, bars and cafes. To obtain a certificate, individuals must show they have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine approved for use in the European Union, recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months or have negative lab results from a test done within the previous 48 hours. The government announced the rule on July 22, giving residents and tourists two weeks to prepare. Some 50 million of Italy's 60 million residents had downloaded the certification by late July. Along the sidewalk flanking Vatican City's walls, visitors to the Vatican Museums, one of the world's most popular attractions, got ready to show their cellphones to workers at the entrance.