Super Green Pass chaos, MiC clarifies: no need for museums and libraries. What the DL says

There is chaos in the culture over the introduction of the Super Green Pass: in fact, the enhanced green certificate requires certain types of activities to present the pass certifying only that they have been cured of Covid-19, or that they have been vaccinated, thus excluding those who only have the swab. Initially it seemed that the Super Green Pass would remain applied to all culture. In fact, let’s see what Decree-Law No. 172 of November 26, 2021, published in the Official Gazette, says.

Article 5, “Use of COVID-19 green certifications of successful vaccination or recovery,” introduces the Super Green Pass by stipulating that “in the yellow and orange zones and zones, the use of services, the performance of activities and travel, limited or suspended in accordance with the regulations in force, are allowed only to individuals who hold one of the COVID-19 green certifications referred to in Article 9, paragraph 2, letters a) , (b) and (c-bis), and to persons referred to in paragraph 3, first sentence, subject to compliance with white zone regulations.” Subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c-bis) (of Decree-Law No. 52 of April 22, 2021, converted with amendments by Law No. 87) are those that indicate that Green Pass can be obtained either with successful anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccination (a), or with successful recovery from COVID-19 (b), or with successful recovery from COVID-19 after the administration of the first dose of vaccine or at the end of the primary vaccine cycle or the administration of the relevant booster dose (c-bis). And among the “services” and “activities” that are “restricted or suspended under current regulations,” thus those for which the use of green certifications is required, are also included (Art. 9a of DL April 22, 2021 converted into law) also include “performances open to the public, sports events and competitions, as well as activities that take place in dance halls, discos and assimilated premises” (thus, by “performances open to the public,” we mean theaters, cinemas, concerts and so vioa), “museums, other institutes and places of culture and exhibitions” (so also libraries, archives and archaeological sites, which, according to the Cultural Heritage Code, fall under “other institutes and places of culture”), “ cultural centers, social and recreational centers.”

Continuing the reading of the Nov. 26 DL, Article 6 (“Transitional Provision”), in its first paragraph, stipulates that from Dec. 6, 2021 to Jan. 15, 2022, the Super Green Pass, which Article 5 limits from the yellow zone upward, will also be extended to the white zone. In fact, it reads, “From December 6, 2021 to January 15, 2022, in the regions and autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, whose territories are located in the white zone, the performance of activities and the use of services for which limitations are provided in the yellow zone are allowed exclusively to those who hold the COVID-19 green certifications referred to in Article 9, paragraph 2, letters a) , b) and c -bis ), of Decree-Law No. 52 of 2021, as well as to the subjects referred to in Article 9-bis, paragraph 3, first period, of the aforementioned Decree-Law No. 52 of 2021, in compliance with the regulations of the white zone. The services referred to in the first period include catering services, with the exception of those provided within hotels and other accommodation facilities reserved exclusively for customers accommodated therein and canteens and continuous catering on a contractual basis, to which the provisions of paragraph 1 of Article 9 - bis of the aforementioned Decree-Law No. 52 of 2021 apply.”

So, it seemed from the November 26 decree-law that the Super Green Pass was necessary for all culture in the white zone, so much so that many museums and libraries, on their sites (e.g., the Civic Museums of Florence), as well as professional associations, published notices in which they pointed out to the public that as of December 6, the enhanced Green Pass would be required. Even, there are museums (such as the Egyptian Museum in Turin) that have refunded reservations of users who would have visited the museum using only the negative buffer.

The confusion arose yesterday after a circular signed by the Interior Ministry’s chief of staff, Bruno Frattasi, was sent to all prefects in Italy on December 2. The document states that as a result of the provisions of the Nov. 26 DL, “individuals with the aforementioned ’enhanced’ green certification will be allowed access to: shows, sporting events as spectators, indoor restaurants, festivals (except those consequent to civil and religious ceremonies), public ceremonies dance halls, discos and assimilated premises.” Thus, the circular does not mention museums and places of culture, although these fall (as well as parties consequent to civil and religious ceremonies) among the activities restricted or suspended under current regulations (after all, even in the white zone there is an important limitation for museums and libraries: they can be accessed only with a Green Pass).

However, the MiC agrees with the Interior chief of staff, and yesterday issued a note where it specifies that “The new rules on the containment of pandemic contagion, in force as of Monday, December 6, are very clear for places of culture and stipulate that in museums, archives and libraries, in the white zone and in the yellow zone, the super green pass is not necessary. Therefore, one will continue to enter with green pass, in full compliance with the regulations and the obligation to wear the mask.” The communication goes on to say that it is “different in the case of cinemas, theaters and concert halls, which will remain open with 100 percent capacity, where entry will be possible only with the super green pass. Girls and children under the age of 12 will continue to have free access to museums, cinemas, theaters, concert halls and performing arts venues.” In short: according to the MiC, everything is clear, so from Monday there will be no need to show the Super Green Pass in museums and libraries. However, this is not the first time in this emergency that circulars, communiqués and FAQs go to specify what is written in the decrees.

Super Green Pass chaos, MiC clarifies: no need for museums and libraries. What the DL says

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