Health and Wellbeing

All Monash travellers must comply with the following:

• Staff and Student Travel Policy
• Staff Travel Procedure
• Student Travel Procedure
• Leading Student Group Travel Procedure

Staff: Nutrip is the Staff travel approval system, available via Trip Planning and Approval.

Students (undergraduate or masters coursework): Coursework students travelling overseas on a Monash activity must register their travel with Monash Abroad.

Students (graduate research): For enquiries and support with the graduate research travel approval process, contact the Monash Graduate Research Office at mgro-candidature@monash.edu.

More information is available on:

• Monash Travel Page
• Visiting Prato: Visa information
• Australian Government: Smart Traveller Italy

• All Monash travellers must ensure they have access to and are covered by the University’s travel insurance policy.
• Only travel that is approved through the appropriate Monash travel approval system will be covered by the University’s travel insurance policy (see above under General requirements and approval before travel).
• If you will be undertaking personal travel (e.g., on weekends or before or after your Prato visit), please check whether or not this will be covered by your travel insurance policy.
• Refer to Monash travel advice for further details.

The Government has a range of controls and requirements for entry in order to protect the environment, economy, health and wellbeing, and security.

Refer to:

• Italy: Visa for entry and stay in Italy and General conditions for the entry of foreigners into Italy

Italy does not currently require COVID-19 vaccination, pre-departure or on-arrival COVID-19 testing.

For entry to other countries, please refer to the relevant government website to check any COVID-19 testing or other requirements.

All Monash travellers:

• Are responsible for ensuring they have obtained all required and recommended vaccinations at least four weeks prior to travel to Prato or another Monash campus location (including your return to your Monash campus location). Refer to Monash University Immunisation Procedure.
• Are encouraged to be vaccinated for vaccine-preventable infections according to their age and risk profile as per the Australian National Immunisation Program (NIP) Schedule.
• Are encouraged to have an annual influenza vaccination.
• Are encouraged to practice good hand hygiene, coughing and sneezing etiquette and other preventative actions and healthy habits to decrease the risk of infection to themselves and others.

DO NOT COME TO CAMPUS UNWELL

It is the University’s expectation that only those who are well and not presenting with any symptoms attend a Monash campus or location. You should not come to campus if you feel unwell even if you have tested negative to COVID-19 and other respiratory infections.

Refer to Monash University’s Respiratory Infections (including COVID) Safe Plan

Requirements for COVID-19 testing and vaccination

• There are currently no COVID-19-vaccination or testing requirements to enter or stay in Italy or travel within Europe.
• However, you should still check what vaccination or other COVID-19 requirements your transit destination or airline may have.
• For entry to other countries, you are responsible for checking and complying with any COVID-related and other vaccination requirements at your destination location, as well as between those countries and Italy. These are available on the relevant government’s website.

Respiratory symptoms or testing positive to COVID-19 or other respiratory infections

You should not come to campus if you feel unwell even if you have tested negative to COVID-19 or other infections.

If you are at a Monash site and have any symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory illness, it is recommended you put on a face mask, go home and take a RAT test (you can buy a RAT from pharmacies or supermarkets (for approximately 5 euro each).  Face masks are available onsite at Reception.

If you test positive to COVID-19 or another respiratory virus (even if you have no symptoms), you can pass it onto others. Therefore, it is recommended (consistent with Italian Government and Monash University advice) that you:

• Stay at your accommodation until you feel well (see also Monash University).
• Let Prato staff know so we can support you (see below).
• Inform close contacts, especially if they are elderly, fragile or immunocompromised.
• Review Monash advice, including when to see a doctor and when antivirals are recommended.
• Wear a face mask when leaving the house or in contact with others for at least 7 days after a positive test.
• Do not visit high-risk settings like hospitals and aged and disability care settings for at least seven days or until symptoms have gone, unless you are seeking immediate medical care.
• Only return to the Prato Centre or any other Monash University campus or location when you no longer have symptoms.

If you have respiratory symptoms but test negative for COVID, you can return to campus when your symptoms of a respiratory illness have resolved.

COVID-19 contacts

No restrictive measures apply. You may attend a Monash location. However, it is the University’s expectation that you do not attend if unwell, including having any respiratory or COVID-19 symptoms.

COVID-19 can take time to develop so it is recommended you monitor for symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, cough, or fever/chills for several days after your last contact with the person who had COVID-19. During these days avoid contact with elderly, fragile or immunocompromised people. frail people, immunosuppressed people, pregnant women. If you develop symptoms, stay at your accommodation and test for COVID-19.

Contact Prato Staff

• We will provide support to students and visitors who are unwell or test positive, including informing your accommodation provider and those who may have been sharing your room in case of a room change.
• We can provide a list of food delivery outlets.
• We can also assist you with obtaining medications through our health physician.
• We are equipped to continue course and conference activities remotely through facilitating recordings or live streaming (according to the room being used). Our IT services staff are available to assist students, teaching staff and conference convenors with this.
• If your illness period coincides with a field trip, the teaching staff and our Program Manager will determine what alternative activities could be arranged.

For students, visiting staff, conference attendees, and Centre visitors:

• Emergency care:
  • Telephone emergency services on 112
• Urgent but not emergency care:
  • Monash students and staff can access the University’s travel insurance provider’s Global 24 Advisory Assistance Accident & Health 24/7 Emergency Hotline by calling +61 2 9312 5191 (reverse charges) or email: assistance@global24.com.au
• Routine health care:
  • Contact Prato Centre staff who will put you in contact with a local health practitioner.
• Counselling service:
  • Monash students and staff can access free and confidential telephone counselling 24 hours a day 7 days a week from Italy by phoning 800 791 847 (toll free). Please advise that you are calling from Italy and that the call is high priority.
  • Monash students and staff can also request a telehealth appointment from Counselling Services (Australian office hours only) by emailing counselling-clayton@monash.edu. Please advise that you are currently overseas at the Prato Centre.
  • The Prato Centre also has contacts with local mental health professionals in Prato and Florence. If you'd like to meet with a professional at any time, Prato Centre staff will be happy to support you in arranging an appointment.
• Prato hospital:
  • Nuovo Ospedale di Prato Santo Stefano
    Via Suor Niccolina Infermiera, 20/22, 59100 Prato PO
    Telephone: +39 0574 801111
• Prato Pharmacies (24 hours):
  • Farmacia Benu - Piazza Mercatale 147a
  • Farmacia Benu - Via Cavour 91

If you have a question that has not been answered above, please contact us.