Green pass: new rules for universities.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, people have had to change their habits and ways of life.

One of the most important and hardest changes to face has been the one related to the new distance learning model.

To cope with the difficulties brought by the model, the government has introduced new rules for schools and universities, the most important of which is perhaps the introduction of the obligation of a Green Pass for school staff, extended in the case of universities also to student.

In the Gazzetta Ufficiale no. 217 of 10 September 2021, the legislative decree of 10 September 2021, n. 122 containing “Urgent measures to deal with the COVID-19 emergency in school, higher education and social health-care sectors”.

The measure integrates the legislative decree of August 6th, n. 111.

The latter establishes the obligation to possess and exhibit the green pass for all university students and those of the AFAM as well as staff, both teaching and technical-administrative staff, for activities in person, from September 1st and until the end of the state of emergency set at December 31st this year.

Subjects who are exempt from the vaccination campaign for medical reasons are excluded from the obligation to present the certification. In this case, an alternative medical certificate must be shown instead of the green pass.Unlike other schools, in universities it still is required to use masks to continue the activities in person.

Who controls and what penalties are there if you don’t have a green pass?

In universities, the staff in charge will manage the entrance.Verification of compliance with these requirements on university students must be carried out on a sample basis that each university will identify.For students, who will be able to evade the entrance checks, and enter the university without having a green pass, the penalties will be high, ranging from 400 to 1,000 euros. In case of reiteration of the offense, it is expected that the sum would be doubled. 

Regarding the school staff, however, financial penalties are no longer envisaged.

Paragraph 2 of Article 9-ter established that failure to comply with the measures is considered unjustified absence and, starting from the fifth day of absence, the employment relationship is suspended and no remuneration or other remuneration or any kind of fee is due.

How to access the University if you have got your vaccine abroad?

Almost all universities are moving to offer free swabs to foreign students who are vaccinated with vaccines not recognized by the EMA and for those who are not yet equipped with a Green Pass despite having undertaken the vaccination process.

The Ministry of Health has published a memo with indications for obtaining the recognition of certifications obtained in other countries.The procedures indicated in the document are valid for those who have been vaccinated in non-EU countries but also for those who have fallen ill with Covid-19 abroad and would like to request the green pass for recovery.

The document must be drawn up in at least one of the following languages: Italian, English, French, Spanish or German, otherwise it must be accompanied by a sworn translation.