The Italian government is preparing a rule that will establish sanctions for health workers who do not want to be vaccinated against coronavirus, Prime Minister Mario Draghi announced today at a press conference.
“The government wants to intervene on this issue, because it is not good at all that unvaccinated health workers are in contact with patients,” said Draghi, who announced that Justice Minister Marta Cartabia is preparing “a measure on this issue, in the form and how the sanctions are explained. “
The Minister of Health, Roberto Speranza, confirmed this idea. “We are evaluating a standard,” he said, although he wanted to emphasize that the adherence of medical staff to vaccination is high.
“This rule is being studied, but we must recognize that the adherence of the medical staff has been extraordinarily relevant. We will intervene at a very residual rate and this must be acknowledged because all health workers have done an extraordinary job,” he said. defended.
“They also set a very positive example. There is a minimum bandwidth, which we are now trying to count,” Sperenza told a joint news conference with Draghi to present the new pandemic measures the government will implement. after Easter.
Last Tuesday, the Italian judiciary ruled that health workers who refuse to be vaccinated could be suspended from employment and pay, as the obligation to ensure security prevails over the freedom of choice regarding vaccination provided for in the Italian Constitution.
On the same day, the Minister of Labor, Andrea Orlando, also assured that at the moment there is no possibility of revoking officials who refuse to be vaccinated, but added that it is a scenario that could be studied if necessary.