COVID-19 UPDATES and FAQ

from June 15th to June 30th 2020

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COVID-19 updates and FAQ – from June 15th to June 30th 2020

MIP4Students Resource page: http://www.som.polimi.it/en/mip-4-students/

Travelling – KEY FACTS

Italian regulations allow travel to/from the EU/Schengen area with no restrictions.

However, many EU/Schengen countries won’t allow international travel to/from

Italy yet.

Travel to Italy from outside the EU/Schengen area is restricted to proven

circumstances of work, health, impellent need or to return to your legal residence,

until at least June 30th

The EU commissions recommends all EU member states and Schengen states to

close EU external borders for non-essential travel until at least June 30th

Regulations on travelling are subject to change. Keep informed by referring to the

relative authority

Please inform us when you re-enter or leave Italy

The validity of all expiring permits of stay and visas has been extended to August

31st 2020.

1. Can I re-enter Italy from an EU or Schengen country?

Yes you can. Italy has lifted all restriction on travel to Italy from the following countries: all EU member states, Schengen area countries, the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, Andorra, Principality of Monaco, San Marino and Vatican City.

2. Can I re-enter Italy from a NON-EU country?

If you are currently in a NON-EU country and you do not have an Italian passport nor Italian residency, it is hard to justify your need to re-enter. The reasons for travelling to Italy are work reasons, health needs, absolute necessity or to return to your legal residence. You will need to contact the relative authority (Embassy or Consulate) to know if you can enter Italy from the country where you are now.

If you do re-enter Italy, you will be required by law to:

- present a self-certification, indicating reasons for travel, mobile number, domicile address where you will be self-isolating, and the private transport you will use to reach it;

- inform the ATS (local health authority) of your arrival; - spend 14 days in self-isolation upon arrival.

3. Which rules apply to people travelling to Italy or other countries?

You can find updated regulations on people travelling to Italy on the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You can also look for more information from Embassies and Consulates about connections to Italy, local regulations and activities of repatriation on this webpage.

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4. Can I leave Italy?

Italian regulations allow you to travel in the EU/Schengen area with no restrictions, or to a NON-EU country in order to return to your home country.

However, many countries, both EU/Schengen and NON-EU, still have many regulations in place in regards to entry or transit, independent from Italian ones. Therefore, you will have to contact the concerned airlines as well as the relative authority in the country of destination, to know what is required for your entry or transit.

5. How long can I legally stay in Europe?

As a rule, with a permit of stay for study you can stay in any other Schengen countries as tourist for 90 days in 6 months. If you are currently in a European country and may stay for longer than such period, you should get in contact with the local authority to inquire about the requirements for your legal stay.

Moving within Europe is also not recommended, unless you are returning to your home.

You can find information on travelling in Europe on the European Commission website.

6. Is MIP in contact with Embassies of different nations?

No it is not. If you need assistance, you will have to inquire with the Embassy directly. As a rule, Embassies are providing special support to their citizens during these times.

7. Will MIP help with extending my visa if this situation persists until September?

Italian Visa for study or renewal of the study permit will be supported according to the schedule of each program.

8. What should I do if my permit of stay or other legal documents are expiring?

All expiring Italian documents, among which permits of stay and visas, have been

granted an extended validity until August 31st 2020.

9. I have not collected my permit of stay card yet. What does that entail?

If your permit card is ready, it will stay at the Immigration Office for several weeks, or in fact, until you collect it or until it expires.

10. My permit of stay application is on hold. What do I do?

No action from you is required for now. All permit application appointments have been postponed. You can log in the Immigration Portal using your assicurata’s user ID and password, to keep track of your new appointment date.

The Immigration office has now resumed operations. If needed, the ISO will guide you for a new group appointment at the Immigration Office or with different guidelines for your specific case.

11. Are residency procedures on hold?

No, residency applications can still be placed online, and the municipality officers have been checking the truthfulness of the declarations by phone call instead of visiting.

12. I enrolled into the National Healthcare System (NHS) before the lockdown, but

I have not received my tessera sanitaria (health card). Can I access the system

without it?

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Yes you can. Upon enrolment at the ATS office, you should have received a paper with the details of your enrolment. That paper is a valid temporary document to access the system’s services.

13. I would like to enrol into the NHS, because of this new situation. Is it possible right now?

It is possible, and enrolling requires visiting a post office to pay the yearly fee.

Due to the emergency, ATS offices are still closed to the public or allow visits only on appointment. This means your request must be submitted via e-mail. First, find the office competent for your area on https://www.serviziterritoriali-asstmilano.it/cerca-sede/ (select “Iscrizione al servizio sanitario regionale e scelta del medico” and type your domicile address). In the resulting office’s description, you will find the relative e-mail address.

In your e-mail, attach copy of the required documents (id, permit of stay, fiscal code and MIP admittance letter – obtainable from your coordinator) and the paid postal payslip. In the subject line, write “Iscrizione volontaria al SSN - prima iscrizione”. In the text, remember to indicate your domicile address, and your choice of general practitioner.

Please write to the ISO to receive the updated guidelines.

14. Are there any free recommended language schools for Italian classes?

The Politecnico MOOCs Portal at https://www.pok.polimi.it/ offers an Italian language and culture course at beginner level in two modules: Part 1 and Part 2. The course entails videos, grammar, exercises, a forum and much more. The estimated student’s effort is 8 to 10 hours per week, 8 to 10 weeks in total.

For more options, Comune di Milano has a portal where you can find all Italian classes schools in the metropolitan area. These include private schools, ngso and municipality classes: https://milano.italianostranieri.org/.

Containment Measures and Health

1. What are the measures of containment currently implemented in Italy?

With the decree of May 17th new measures have been implemented to guide Italy through the so-called Phase 2. The measures outlined below are valid from June 15th to June 30th.

All citizens are required to:

o cover their mouth and nose with a face mask or a scarf outside of their home

o wear mask and gloves on public transport

o keep a 1 meter distance from other people

o respect the ban on gatherings, even inside private houses

o stay at home if they have a 37,5° fever and contact a doctor or the local preventive

healthcare department. The Lombardy Region’s covid-19 dedicated number is 800

894 545.

Citizens are allowed to:

o move within their region or between regions with no restrictions

o access public parks and all services àthat have reopened

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o exercise (keeping a 2 meters distance) or to take a walk (1 meter) outdoors. During

intense physical activity, a face mask is not required.

Citizens are recommended to:

o download the new App “Immuni”

2. What is the new “Immuni” App?

Immuni is the exposure notification App of the Italian government, developed by the

Extraordinary Commissioner for the COVID-19 Emergency, in collaboration with the

Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Innovation Technology and Digitalization.

Its purpose is to notify users at risk of carrying the virus as early as possible, in order to

minimize its spread and facilitate an early diagnosis. To learn more about how it works,

visit Immuni's official website at https://www.immuni.italia.it/.

While downloading the App is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended by the Italian

government, as every single user increases its overall effectiveness.

3. Which services are open and what are the rules to access them?

The activity of public offices and banks is guaranteed as usual, but it may still present reduced office accessibility. Check for new updates on the site of the concerned office before visiting, if you have necessity.

Retail stores and other services often allow entrance to one family member per time, and some of them may request to measure your temperature at the entrance.

In restaurants, it is recommended to seat outside if possible, and to book in advance to avoid overcrowding. The same goes for hair saloons and beauticians, where access is allowed only on appointment.

At museums and libraries it is mandatory to wear face masks, and access may be regulated.

Sports centers equipped with spaces for individual open-air activites are open, although spaces dedicated to extra services (bars, showers, locker rooms...) may remain off-limits. Gym and pool activities are also allowed, with new regulations to ensure safety.

Regular public transport service is guaranteed, although access to stations and trains is regulated in order to ensure that a safe distance is always maintained. Anyone using public transport is required to wear masks and gloves. This includes taxis and rental cars.

4. I do not have a face mask at home. Where do I find one?

Face masks are sold at pharmarcies and parapharmacies, at a fixed price of 0,50 €. In any case, if you do not have one, a scarf covering your mouth and nose is also allowed.

5. Can I exercise outdoors?

Yes, exercise outdoors is allowed, as long as the safety distance is maintained. Face masks are also not mandatory during intense physical activity.

6. Can I go to the park to play sports or have picnics?

No, parks have reopened mainly for the purpose of allowing individual physical activity (walking, jogging, yoga…). You cannot partake in recreational activities such as team sports or picnics.

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7. Whom can I visit or meet up with?

You can visit or meet with anyone, but caution is still recommended.

8. I belong to a category at risk. What measures should I take?

It is recommended that you leave your house only if necessary. If you live on your own, you can try online shopping, or you can rely on Croce Rossa voluntary workers, who will offer support for purchasing medicines and food on your behalf. The service is free and accessible by calling the phone number 800 065 510 (active 24/7). The workers are recognizable by their red uniform.

The Comune di Milano also offers a similar service for free. Call their Infoline 020202 to know more.

9. I suspect I have contracted the virus because I am showing symptoms of Covid-

19 (breathing difficulty, fever above 37,5°). How should I act?

If you suspect you have contracted the virus, do not go to the hospital.

Contact your general practitioner by phone instead, or the Regional healthcare department ( ph. 800 894 545 ) or Milan’s after hour on-call doctor ( ph. 800 193 344 ).

Follow the instructions you receive from them. In the meantime, you should stay at home and try to keep a distance from your flatmates, if any.

Only use the emergency number 112 if you need immediate assistance, that is, you need an ambulance straight away.

As soon as you can, please contact the ISO to inform us and to receive further support. Write to iso@mip.polimi.it.

10. I may have contracted the virus because an acquaintance I met less than 2

weeks ago was diagnosed with it. How should I act?

Please follow the same guidelines explained above.

As soon as you can, please contact the ISO to inform us and to receive further support. Write to iso@mip.polimi.it.

11. When should I call 112 for an ambulance?

You should call an ambulance if your conditions are bad and you need immediate care.

12. I have been diagnosed with Covid-19. What should I do?

You have to follow the guidelines of the health authority who has assessed you. If you have minor or no symptoms, as a rule, you can expect to be required to do the following:

- Self-isolate at home for 14 days

- Wear the face mask provided at the start of the monitoring

- Keep a distance from your flatmates. Close the door to your bedroom and

ventilate it regularly

- Remain available to go through the necessary health checks

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Useful contacts

Health Ministry Number (for general information in Italian, English and Chinese): 1500

Regional Healthcare Number: 800 894 545

After hour on-call doctor in Milan: 800 193 344

Emergency Number: 112

Croce Rossa voluntary work: 800 065 510

Comune di Milano voluntary work: 020202

Health Glossary

In addition to the general healthcare glossary on the ISO webpage, find here a useful glossary for the current emergency:

Fever Febbre

Headache Mal di testa

Dry cough Tosse secca

Cold Raffreddore

Flu Influenza

Lungs Polmoni

Short breath Respiro corto

Fatigue Affaticamento

I feel pain here Ho un dolore qui

Face mask Mascherina

Hand sanitizer Gel disinfettante

Do you speak English? Parla inglese?

Useful Links

Lombardy Region website on Covid-19

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Q&A

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Information from Embassies and Consulates

Italian Health Ministry: Q&A

Protezione Civile Press

Protezione Civile Activities

World Health Organization on Covid-19

European Commission on Coronavirus

ANSA: Updates on Covid-19 in Italy

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Ministry of Foreign Affairs: UPDATES ON TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS OF OTHER COUNTRIES [ITA]

Ministry of Infrastructures and Transport: decree on self-isolation for people who re-enter Italy [ITA]