COVID 19: Policies and access at SISSA

Index

Based on the latest update Shared Protocol on Measures to Combat and Contain the Spread of the SARS CoV-2 Virus in the Workplace (Protocollo sicurezza anti contagio), 20 July 2022, this page summarises the measures in place at SISSA.

1. Can I access SISSA?

SISSA staff (professors, researchers, research fellows and technical and administrative staff) and students can SISSA without specific authorisation, except for carriers of pathologies susceptible to COVID-19 infection, by respecting the opening hours, after carrying out the training activity and filling in the personal declaration for return to work.  Individual, small group, laboratory and technical-administrative research activities can be carried out.

Access to the School is possible exclusively through the main entrance on floor zero. Entry to SISSA is only permitted during specific time slots (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.) passing through the thermoscanner to measure temperature. In the event of entry or exit out of hours, staff must request authorisation from their supervisor, informing the Safety Service and the Presidio and keeping in contact with the latter during their stay.

If you are a carrier of pathologies susceptible to COVID-19 infection, we invite you to follow the instructions sent by the Human Resources Office with an appropriate communication and to consult your reference health personnel (General Practitioner, Specialist) and the SISSA Doctor.

External collaborators are allowed to enter after filling in the self-declaration form and respecting the security procedures.
Persons intending to enter the School for any reason must register their entry and exit through

  • the use of the badge for those who are provided with one;
  • with the entry and exit signature form for visitors/contractors in the case of access to the floors.

Workers must have an FFP2 filtering face mask with them at all times in SISSA to be worn in situations where it is compulsory (e.g. elevators, toilets). FFP2 masks are available at the main entrance. 

It remains compulsory not to enter and/or stay in the school even after entry in the event of flu or fever symptoms. 

2. Instructions for the management of Covid-19 cases and outbreakes  

Pursuing the safety policy for the management of Phase 3 and continuing in managing safety issues but also those related to work/life balance, it is necessary to provide the entire SISSA community with indications for possible cases related to health situations also connected to family life. A flowchart of the contact tracing procedure is available here.

2.1 Knowledge of positive or suspected positive cases (integration of quarantine application criteria)

On 29 October 2020, the e-mail alias click to show email was created from which the Covid Manager and the deputy can handle notifications of new cases while respecting privacy.

Any worker who is found to be positive for SARS-Cov2 or is identified as a suspected case is obliged to report it to the Employer by writing an email to click to show email and to notify his or her line manager.

As a precautionary measure, following the report of a positive case among the students/teachers of SISSA, confirmed by a swab, the last contact with the positive case being considered, considering the evolution of the local epidemiological picture characterised by the presence of variants of the virus with a higher contagiousness, considering the provisions of the ECDC, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Prevention of the competent Health Authority, the following measures are ordered in order to contain the spread of the SARS-Cov2 infection

  • Quarantine as stipulated in DL 229 of 30 December 2021 and the Ministry of Health circular of 30 December 2021.

    (a) Quarantine is no longer required for asymptomatic individuals who have received the booster dose, or have completed the primary vaccination cycle within the previous 120 days, or have recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection within the previous 120 days, and are required to wear FFP2-type respiratory protective equipment for at least 10 days since the last exposure to the case. The self-monitoring period ends on day 5. A rapid or molecular antigen test for Sars-CoV-2 antigen detection is to be performed at the first onset of symptoms and, if still symptomatic, on the fifth day following the date of the last close contact with confirmed Covid 19 positive subjects.

    b) Unvaccinated close contacts should be quarantined for 10 days at the end of which they will perform a control swab and be contacted by the prevention department.

    c) For those vaccinated for more than 120 days, the quarantine lasts 5 days at the end of which they must take a molecular or antigenic swab.
     

  • isolation of infected workers who have previously received the booster dose, or who have completed the vaccination cycle for less than 120 days, isolation is reduced from 10 to 7 days, provided that they have always been asymptomatic, or have been asymptomatic for at least 3 days, and provided that a molecular or antigenic test with a negative result is carried out at the end of this period.
  • arranging for the additional sanitisation of the environments used by the positive case, in compliance with the provisions of Circular No. 5443 of 22 February 2020 of the Ministry of Health.

Internal contact tracing activities continue to be carried out, examining the reports received and trying to identify the possible presence of contagions that have occurred during school activities. While respecting the privacy and availability of the contact persons, information is requested on interpersonal contacts the person has had with other members of the SISSA population. If close contacts are identified, the persons involved are informed of the situation of possible contagion, providing all the indications on how to behave according to the national rules in force and to the internal rules adopted by the school. The data thus acquired are recorded and processed to provide the Directorate with statistics on the impact of the pandemic on the school's activity.

The Regional Health Authorities (Dipartimenti di Prevenzione in Italian) contacts are reported below:

Province of Trieste

Tel: 040 3997490 / 040 3397492

E-mail: click to show email

Province of Gorizia

Tel: 0481 592836

E-mail:infettive.profilassi@asugi.sanita.fvg.it"> click to show email

Palmanova, Cervignano del Friuli e San Giorgio di Nogaro area

Tel: 0432 921835

E-mail: click to show email

Udine, Tarcento e Cividale del Friuli area

Tel: 0432 553264 (Mon-Fri, from 8:30am untill 2pm)

E-mail: click to show email

3. What do I have to do to access SISSA? Who authorises me?

SISSA staff (professors, researchers, research fellows and technical and administrative staff) and students may enter SISSA without specific authorisation, except for carriers of pathologies susceptible to COVID-19 infection, respecting opening hours. Remember that the use of spaces for research purposes and technical and administrative support activities must comply with safety regulations (e.g. spacing, use of masks, etc.). Therefore, check the presence of other people in the shared offices and laboratories, book the facilities and common spaces: you will then be able to carry out your activity in peace and safety.

Remember that, in order to carry out your research and work activities at SISSA, you must be in compliance with the medical examinations; for this purpose, you will be contacted directly by the staff in charge, if necessary.

4. How can I get to SISSA?

With your own private vehicle or on foot
The use of the private vehicles must include only the presence of the driver if possible; if you want to bring someone with you, you must both wear facial mask or other protection devices for nose and mouth. During the trip avoid the use of air conditioning and especially the recirculation function. These limits do not apply if the means are used only by cohabiting persons.
It is recommended to arrive between 08.00 and 08.30 not to create long queues with those that use the private shuttle.

There are also public transportation services with bus number 38.

5. What happens on my arrival at SISSA?

Access to SISSA continues to be compulsorily through the main entrance on floor zero. Entry to SISSA is permitted only during specific time slots (Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.), passing through the thermoscanner for temperature measurement. In the event of entry or exit out of hours, personnel must request authorisation from their supervisor, informing the Safety Service and the Presidium and keeping in contact with the latter during their stay.

Workers must always have an FFP2 filtering face mask with them at SISSA to be worn in situations where it is compulsory (e.g. stairwells, elevator, toilets). FFP2 masks are available at the main entrance. 

It remains compulsory not to enter and/or stay in the school even after entry in the event of flu or fever symptoms. 

6. How should I behave inside SISSA?

A the maximum number of people who may be present at the same time has been defined for all areas, based on the availability of devices to prevent the contagion, the available space, the time of stay and the activity carried out.
To avoid the so-called «close contact» it is necessary to ensure a low density of people and the respect of a minimum interpersonal distance of: 1 meter in transit areas (corridor); 2 meters in "critical" rest areas (break area, smoking area, etc.) and, unless otherwise specified, in common areas (including offices with more than one persone). A "close contact" is defined as a contact that occurs in a closed environment (e.g. office) continuously for 15 minutes or more with a distance of less than 2 m.
So:
1) The capacity of the common offices has been defined on the basis of the distance between the seats of the stations: if you have any doubts or you have ideas to improve the use of the spaces report it to your coordinator of Area. Here are some examples. 
2) People who do not use the room continuously (for example, those passing for a quick meeting) are allowed in the room, respecting the expected distance.

Masks, distances and hygiene measures
Keep a safe distance of at least one metre. In the corridors, on the stairs, in the bathrooms and in all common areas always wear the FFP2 mask provided at the entrance or the one in your possession. Please keep in mind that community masks are not allowed at SISSA. Reduce the movements inside the building to those that are really necessary for your activity.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water and with the dedicated detergents placed on each floor of the School.
Specific individual protection devices (FFP3) gloves and hair caps must be used only by those who perform specific tasks (reception, front-office, laboratory workers, etc.)

Cleaning workstation
At the start and at the end of your shift, disinfect the workstation with the product for surfaces available on each floor. Be especially careful to clean well the phone, mouse, keyboard and touch-screen devices. The same product can be used on other surfaces, such as the desk and chair.

Ventilation of the premises
A number of operating and maintenance measures for the ventilation systems have been taken in order to minimise the risks of transmitting the infection.

7. What should my health condition be in order to access the School?

In order to access the premises:
• you should have not been subjected to quarantine measures or have not tested positive for COVID-19 or, if you have, you should have carried out two negative diagnostic swabs for SARS-COV-2;
• you should have not had contacts with family members, cohabiting partners or friends who are positive for COVID-19 and you should not enter or remain in the School in the event of contact with people positive to the virus. The latest FVG quarantine rules are available in section 2 of this webpage.

Moreover:
• you have to stay at home and not go to work in case of fever higher than 37.5 ° and/or the presence of flu-like symptoms (fever, sore throat, cough, difficulty breathing) or other symptoms attributable to COVID-19 (loss of smell and taste, diarrhea, diffuse joint and muscle pain or other symptoms). In that case, you have to contact the General Practitioner and / or the other regional health systems. In this sense, you have to be able to declare that you do not have the symptoms listed above;
• you have to know and comply with the rules given on social distancing, hand washing, the correct use of masks, the disinfection of environments;
• you are not allowed to stay at the School and you have to declare it promptly if, even after entry, there are potentially dangerous conditions (fever and / or flu-like symptoms or other symptoms mentioned above); in that case you have to remain at an adequate distance from the people, return home and contact the General Practitioner.

8. Are teaching activities carried out in person or online?  

The teaching activities take place predominantly in presence at SISSA. All the classrooms have been equipped to ensure maximum safety for teachers and students in attendance but we trust in the contribution of everyone to comply with the safety standards, such as spacing, hand sanitation and use of the mask.

9. How are progress reports organized?  

The School wants to encourage in person talks: for this reason, the progress reports will be given at SISSA  even thought only the teachers and the student will be admitted to the room. All the other people will be able to follow the sessions online through Zoom or Teams.

10. Can external guests attend PhD thesis dissertations?  

Phd thesis dissertation is a unique moment that concludes the 4-year training at SISSA. External guests who want to participate in person are welcome but with some important restrictions. For safety reasons, no more than 3 or 4 guests per candidate will be admitted. In any case, their total number depends on the volume of the room and can’t be more than 16 per session. A “Safety angel” will be in charge of guiding the guests and checking their compliance with safety procedures.

11. Are the bar and the canteen open?

The use of the cafeteria and canteen is permitted in compliance with the safety distances and the provisions of the spaces and seating arrangements. In any case, it must always be ensured that the distance between people is strictly over one metre.

Restricted entry/exit times are favoured.

A limited number of people may enter the bar at any one time, but they are still required to keep interpersonal distancing.

Water dispensers, microwave ovens and toilets may be using the procedures that are indicated in the signs.

Meals must be eaten either in the canteen with maximum spacing (2 people per table positioned on opposite short sides to maximise distance) or in the outdoor areas.

Once the meal in the canteen has been finished, the table must be sanitised with the products provided.

12. Some SISSA documents to read (in Italian)

DOCUMENTO PER L’AVVIO, LA GESTIONE, IL MONITORAGGIO DELLA RIPRESA DELL’ATTIVITA’ PRESSO LA SEDE DI VIA BONOMEA

LINEE GUIDA RELATIVI A EROGAZIONE ATTIVITA’ DIDATTICA, DISCUSSIONE DELLA TESI, ESAMI DI PASSAGGIO D’ANNO

The Covid-19 reference portal by the Italian Health Ministry

(Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash)

La task-force SISSA sul Coronavirus è composta dai seguenti membri:

  • Direttore
  • Segretario Generale
  • Medico Competente 
  • Addetto Servizio Prevenzione e Protezione
  • Rappresentante delle organizzazioni sindacali unitarie
  • nr. 2 Rappresentanti Lavoratori Sicurezza

La composizione della “Task Force allargata” della SISSA è invece:

  • Direttore
  • Segretario Generale
  • Coordinatore Area Fisica
  • Coordinatore Area Neuroscienze
  • Coordinatore Area Matematica
  • Medico Competente
  • Addetto Servizio Prevenzione e Protezione
  • Responsabile Area Risorse Umane
  • Rappresentante gruppo di lavoro Mobilità
  • Area risorse umane
  • Ufficio gestione e sviluppo risorse umane
  • Referente per la segreteria di direzione
  • Referente per l'Unità di comunicazione
  • Rappresentante delle organizzazioni sindacali unitarie
  • Rappresentante del personale di ricerca 
  • nr. 2 Rappresentanti Lavoratori Sicurezza
  • Rappresentante degli allievi