Israel’s corona Happy Badge is underway – here are the details

Banquet halls, clubs and other venues that plan to host parties of more than 100 people indoors are now subject to following the rules of the “Happy Badge,” established by the government last week.

Just before the protocol went into effect at midnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, the government shared its details, including some steep fines that are associated with breaking the Happy Badge rules.

Here is what you need to know:

1 – The Happy Badge applies to all indoor events with more than 100 people where there will be food, drink or active mingling. This includes places where there is an area that is partly opened connected to the party, such as a large balcony.

2 – All staff members are required to wear masks, and signs must be placed for employees and visitors indicating in a public manner the obligation to wear a mask.

3 – To enter a Happy Badge event, attendees must present a vaccination or recovery certificate, confirmation of a negative result from a PCR test performed within the previous 72 hours or confirmation of a negative rapid antigen test within the previous 24 hours.

4 – The establishment must comply with all the rules: Appointing a coronavirus commissioner, checking a person’s vaccination certificate or test result against their ID and placing clear signage that indicates the requirement to present the needed paperwork and identification.

5 – Fines apply to those who break the rules:

NIS 1,000 for a person who is not vaccinated or recovered and enters with a false green pass

Up to NIS 1,000 on a place that fails to check for visitors’ green passes or other identification at the entrance

NIS 3,000 for a place that is required to adhere to the Happy Badge rules but does not place a sign regarding the obligation to show a pass or negative test result

NIS 1,000 on an establishment that gives service to a person who is not wearing a mask or fails to place signage reminding patrons to wear a mask