- TXTI - SEP 16, 2021 -
How recent vaccine mandate laws have upended my family's life
I want to share the situation which my family and I are now facing because of Covid Pass restrictions.
We live in the small European country of Lithuania. In the last few months, strict Covid Pass restrictions have been introduced which represent a fundamental transformation in society.
In this article, I'll describe the details of how the Covid Pass works in my country and how it affects my family. As a start, we're banned from shopping centers, non-essential stores, and restaurants. And my wife and I were both were suspended from our jobs without pay.
But as I'll explain, it's not just Lithuania. Covid Pass restrictions are being imposed throughout Europe. By my count, at least 14 European countries now have different types of domestic restrictions based on the Covid Pass. And every country has travel restrictions within Europe based on the Covid Pass.
There hasn't been much reporting in English-language media about what has happened. So I thought a detailed first-hand account would be useful.
My family, my country
Lithuania is a small EU country of 2.8 million people, located on the Baltic Sea, bordering Poland, Belarus, Russia, and Latvia.
Currently, 69% of the population over age 12 are Covid vaccinated.
My wife and I have two children. She is pregnant with our third child.
Neither my wife nor I are Covid vaccinated.
The Opportunity Pass
Lithuania introduced a Covid Pass for domestic use at the end of May, 2021. It's called the "Opportunity Pass" (Galimybiu pasas in our language). It's for all citizens and foreign residents aged 16 and over.
The Opportunity Pass allows you the opportunity to participate in society. Without it, you don't have opportunity: your rights are restricted.
You can get the Opportunity Pass in 3 ways:
If you've been vaccinated (approved vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, J&J).
A negative PCR test. Valid for 48 hours after the sample is collected.
Proof of having had Covid in the last 7 months. You must have had a positive PCR or antigen test result confirmed at the time by your family doctor and entered into your official medical records.
In the middle of August, our country added a fourth way to get the Opportunity Pass: "a sufficient level of antibodies" based on serological immunoassay for COVID-19 IgG antibodies or total antibodies test. Valid for 60 days after a test.
The Opportunity Pass is linked to your medical records in the national health system, all of which is organized under your national ID number.
The government app has an illustration showing the fun you'll have participating in the opportunities of society if you have the Opportunity Pass:
LEIA MAIS NO ORIGINAL:
https://txti.es/covid-pass/images
Para acessar o Conteúdo acima, acesse a Home Page aqui. https://www.heitordepaola.online/