Thank you everyone for your emails, messages, calls, and constant support this week. This has kept me feeling like there will be an end to this situation at some point!
Ok so from my last report Day 5, things have not gone so smoothly.
I’ve spent most of my days speaking to the Australian Consulate in Canberra, the Embassy in Rome, an Australian lawyer in Rome, and a local doctor too.
Today is Day 8 and my RAT was mildly positive today. They have done a PCR and if that comes back negative tomorrow I am then free to go (apparently). If it’s positive I could be here another 7 or 14 days.
Italy does not believe in persistent shedding (when you can still test positive for weeks after Covid but are not contagious anymore) which most other countries allow for, so while I test positive they can keep me in isolation.
I’m completely stuck in the Italian Health System right now where the rules are very rigid and there is not a lot of wiggle room.
The lawyer checked the law on Covid restrictions as of today, and it seems that the treatment I am receiving is legal.
If I had immediately indicated a private place where you could stay in isolation for the 7 days when I tested positive at the airport, perhaps they would have allowed me to go there in self-isolation using my own means of transport. As I was flying out of Italy, they assumed I did not have anywhere to go so did not ask me, so they put me in the hotel where I need to stay until I test negative or until 21 days elapses.
These isolation rules apply to everyone living in Italy, it’s just that most people remain at home in self-isolation. So the treatment does not appear discriminatory. People in their own homes can also move around freely, get groceries, go for walks etc as it’s not monitored.
I spoke to the embassy about just walking out of the hotel, getting a taxi, and renting an Airbnb and this is apparently not possible. They said I would either be arrested in the lobby or my name and photo would be given to the airports, hotels, and rental car companies and I would be arrested somewhere locally. Wow! So I’m not going to do that clearly as I won’t ever be allowed into Italy again.
Where to from here?
The best case scenario is my PCR comes back tomorrow and is negative and I can leave and come home.
Worse case my PCR comes back tomorrow positive and I need to isolate for another 7 days. In that case, I will look at requesting permission from the local health authority to allow me to isolate elsewhere in Rome, so I can at least have some fresh air and make a cup of tea!
When I was in the lobby earlier for my test (the first time out of my room in 8 days), I was terribly distraught when it came back and a few others down there took me aside near the elevator. We snuck into a stairwell and had a chat about our various situations one American lady has been here for 20 days and the other English lady for 18 days, both feeling very unhappy as am I. The food is inedible for most meals, and they don’t offer soap, toothpaste, or bare essentials if requested. I’ve been ordering on Amazon and waiting 2 days for supplies, but these older ladies have not been able to order online.
I feel like this can’t be happening right now, yet it is.
As disappointing and frustrating as this is, I’m trying to stay positive and know that I’ll be home as soon as I’m allowed to leave. I have been thinking a lot about the Park Hotel Refugees in Melbourne who have been there for close to 10 years and cannot even begin to imagine what they are going through.
I know I will never take my freedom for granted again!
I’m off to watch Eat Pray Love and eat Tiramisu so I can try and bond with Italy again as right now we are not good friends. I’ll keep you all posted on what happens next.