Last Updated on October 30, 2022
Italian doctors, nurses and other health professionals who lost their jobs over refusing to comply with Italy’s strict vaccine mandates will be rehired. “A measure is being finalized that will allow the reintegration into service of health staff subject to suspension proceedings for non-compliance with compulsory vaccination before the expiry date of the suspension,” new Health Minister Orazio Schillaci said on Friday.
The move comes as Italy struggles with a shortage in healthcare workers, as well as a decline in the impact of COVID-19. The recently elected government also plans to also cancel fines imposed on all people aged over 50 who had not gotten vaccinated, Schillaci added.
Italy had previously required the vaccine for any citizen over the age of 50, regardless of occupation. Former prime minister Mario Draghi’s government had also made vaccination mandatory for teachers and healthcare workers in 2021.
Refusal to comply resulted in suspension from work without pay for public employees, while those aged over 50 faced fines of 100 euros.
Italy, like most European nations, also imposed a strict vaccine passport system that required patrons to show proof of vaccination in order to gain entry to a number of public venues.
In addition to reinstating workers and cancelling fines, the nation’s new health minister will also move to discontinue daily updates on case rates, fatalities and other associated COVID updates. The government will still keep track of the data, but in an effort to return to normalcy, the data will only be published on a weekly basis.