Israel to require “Green Pass” proof of COVID-19 vaccine for access to many places

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israel announced Monday that its citizens will have to show a “green pass” – proof they have been vaccinated against COVID-19, or have recovered from the virus – in order to enter many public spaces, the Times of Israel reports. The announcement was made as Israel begins to reopen after severe lockdown measures were imposed to slow the high virus infection rate.

The head of Israel’s coronavirus task force, Nachman Ash, said in a statement Monday that Israelis will have to download an app or print out a barcoded certificate to show proof of their status before accessing certain areas. Certificates are now available although the app is not yet up and running as of Tuesday.

The requisite proof will not be required for street-front shops, malls, markets, museums, or libraries, the Time of Israel reports. However, only those with proof will be able to enter gyms, sporting and culture events, hotels, and swimming pools.

Almost a quarter of Israel’s population – 2.5 million people out of a total 9 million – have had both doses of the vaccination. Nearly 4 million Israelis have now had at least one of the two shots, the Times of Israel said.

However, many Israelis are reluctant to be vaccinated and authorities are already preparing for the likelihood of attempted forgery of necessary certification. In a statement about this to Israel’s Channel 12, Ronni Berkowitz of the Health Ministry’s enforcement division said: “We are doing everything to prevent this and we will use all means at our disposal against the forgeries. These people are, in the end, endangering all of us. They can spread the disease and also bring in new variants.”

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