The Latest: Marchers in Rome protest work vaccine rule

by dj
Published: October 9, 2021 (3 years ago)

Thousands of demonstrators marched down Rome’s Via Veneto and other main streets on Saturday, some clashing with police, to protest a government rule requiring COVID-19 vaccines or negative tests to access workplaces next week.

The certification in Italy, known as a “Green Pass,” takes effect on Friday and applies to public and private workplaces.

To obtain one, people must either have had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, document recovery from the illness in the last six months or test negative in the previous 48 hours.

Both employees and employers risk fines if they don’t comply. Workers in the public sector can be suspended if they show up five times without a Green Pass. This summer, Green Passes were required in Italy to enter museums, theaters, gyms and indoor restaurants, and take long-distance trains and buses or domestic flights.

The protesters held an authorized protest in Piazza Del Popolo. Then some left the vast square and clashed with police as they went to an unauthorized march. Police in helmets and carrying shields and batons blocked them from marching down a street that runs past Premier Mario Draghi’s office.

As of Saturday, 80% of those 12 and older have been fully vaccinated in Italy.

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MORE ON THE PANDEMIC:

— Brazil coronavirus deaths surpass 600,000, second globally behind U.S.

— Russia hits virus death record as autumn surge persists

— San Francisco to welcome cruise ships after 19-month hiatus

— Nevada among last states to add rapid tests to virus tally

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— See all of AP’s pandemic coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic

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HERE’S WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING:

CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada this week became one of the last states to include rapid antigen tests in its coronavirus tallies.

Health experts say the change could provide a fuller picture of the pandemic. Health officials say they weren’t added earlier because their limited resources, with staff had focused on vaccines and contact tracing confirmed cases.

Nevada and Maryland were the last two holdouts that didn’t publicly report antigen tests in defiance of federal guidance. Concerns about the supply of rapid tests and varied ways states report them reflects the absence of a national testing strategy.

Nevada’s hospitals have been pushed to near capacity during the pandemic, its unemployment broke national records, and 435,000 people have tested positive for the virus. Nevada health officials acknowledge omitting rapid tests from its tally limited the public’s understanding of the pandemic’s spread in the state.

The rapid antigen tests, which detect the presence of viral proteins rather than the coronavirus itself, return results in minutes. Traditional molecular tests sent to labs can take days to process but are shown to be more accurate.

The rapid tests turnaround times have led to their widespread use in prisons, schools and nursing homes.

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SAN FRANCISCO — Cruise ships are returning to San Francisco after a 19-month hiatus brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mayor London Breed announced the Majestic Princess will sail into the port of San Francisco on Monday. It’s the first cruise ship to dock in the San Francisco Bay Area since March 2020, when the Grand Princess captured the world’s attention. The ship was carrying people infected with the coronavirus, and thousands on board were quarantined as it idled off the California coast.

The Majestic Princess will sail from Los Angeles for a weeklong California coast voyage that will include an overnight stop in San Francisco. The port of San Francisco expects to welcome 21 cruise ships through the remainder of the year.

Passengers will have to show they were vaccinated at least 14 days before embarking on the cruise and have proof of vaccination. They must also have a negative COVID-19 test taken within two days of their embarkation, according to a statement from Princess Cruises, a Carnival Corp. subsidiary that operates the vessel.

The CDC’s latest cruise ship guidance recommends passengers show proof of vaccination and a recent negative test. It advises travelers who are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness to avoid cruises.

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HONOLULU — Honolulu will allow a limited number of fans at University of Hawaii football games as it begins easing coronavirus restrictions.

The governor and the mayor say they’re relaxing rules for outdoor entertainment venues as vaccination rates rise and the decline of case counts, test positivity rates and hospitalizations. Starting Wednesday, outdoor venues can allow up to 1,000 attendees or up to 50% of their full capacity, whichever is smaller.

Attendees will need to be vaccinated, wear masks and maintain physical distance. Restrictions on indoor entertainment, outdoor weddings, golf tournaments and road races will be eased.

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WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — The Navajo Nation reported 51 coronavirus cases and one death on Friday.

It was the third consecutive day the tribe reported at least one coronavirus-related death after going six days with no additional deaths.

Navajo officials are urging people to get vaccinated, wear masks in public and minimize travel. The tribe’s reservation is the country’s largest at 27,000 square miles and it covers parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

The latest numbers increased the tribe’s totals to 34,3350 confirmed cases and 1,454 confirmed deaths.

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MOSCOW — Russia has reached another record daily death toll from COVID-19, with 968 deaths registered on Saturday.

The national coronavirus task force has reported a persistent rise, with nearly daily records in October. It’s about 100 more daily deaths than in late September.

The task force also reported more than 29,000 new daily infections. Authorities says the steep rise in cases and deaths is because of the nation’s low vaccination rate.

The deputy prime minister says 47.8 million Russians, or 33% of the population, have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine.