Health Ministry said weighing nixing of Green Pass rules at end of January

Eight days before they expire, the Health Ministry is reportedly considering canceling the Green Pass rules that have for many months been limiting entry to most public spaces only to those who have either been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 in the past six months, or have taken a negative test in the past 72 hours.

The development comes as more and more leading experts say the mass infections caused by the Omicron variant, including among the recently vaccinated, render the Green Pass rules increasingly obsolete.

The Walla news website says ministry officials are currently debating whether to nix the rules entirely at the end of the month, extend them in a softened version, or replace them with “purple badge” rules that impose caps on gatherings in public spaces.

Officials are said to be hesitant to cancel the restrictions altogether for fear of a potential new virus strain that could make them relevant again.