Status: 25.05.2022
 

1. Objective | Foundation

The aim of the infection control strategy is to enable and largely maintain the university's services, teaching, studies, examinations and events during the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

This plan sets out organisational protection and hygiene measures to ensure the safety and health of all students, teachers and staff. It is based in particular on the following guidelines:

• Information and recommendations for action by the Robert Koch Institute (www.rki.de)
• Ordinances, decrees, etc. of the Thuringian state government (https://corona.thueringen.de)
• Instructions for action by the Thuringian Ministry of Economy, Science and Digital Society (www.wirtschaft.thueringen.de/wissenschaft/corona)
• Notes on the regulations for cultural workers (https://www.staatskanzlei-thueringen.de/arbeitsfelder/kultur/kultur-und-corona)
• General ordinances of the city of Weimar (www.stadt.weimar.de/aktuell/coronavirus/)

The regulations established here are valid until further notice and will be constantly reviewed and adapted according to the current situation.

All members and staff of the university are obligated to comply with the following protection and hygiene regulations. In addition to this, the best possible preservation of the health of all students, lecturers and employees requires a particularly high degree of organisational flexibility and responsibility in harmony with the individual's own responsibility and obligation to protect himself/herself and others.

All members, relatives and guests of the university are requested to inform themselves regularly and independently on the university's website about the detailed regulations regarding the conduct of service, teaching, study, examination and event operations.
 

2. Responsible Persons

The president of the university is responsible for the creation, maintenance and presentation of the infection protection concept.
Prof. Dr. Christoph Stölzl, praesident(at)hfm-weimar.de, Tel. 03643 | 555 115

In case of imminent danger, the president - represented by the chancellor - will decide on measures to be taken or a closure in coordination with the responsible offices of the city of Weimar and/or the supervising ministry.

Additionally, the university establishes a crisis team that, based on the pandemic development and the corresponding legal requirements of the state and city, takes organizational measures in particular to adequately maintain and conduct university operations. In addition to members of the university management, the university's crisis team includes:

• Director of Academic and Student Affairs
• Health Manager
• Representative of the Staff Council
• Press officer
• Member of the Student Council

The crisis team may consult other university officials in an advisory capacity.
It can be reached by email at krisenstab-hfm(at)hfm-weimar.de.

For the practical safeguarding and monitoring of the rules and measures laid down in this concept, the university management appoints security teams to check compliance with the measures in the individual university buildings and, in this respect, are also authorized to deny access to persons. The instructions of the security teams must therefore be followed.

Contact person for the security teams is
Mr. Alexander Becker: alexander.becker(at)hfm-weimar.de.

Furthermore, the university can also commission external service providers with the control and implementation of the safety and hygiene regulations.
 

3. General infection control rules

A minimum distance of 1.50 m must be maintained in university buildings and on university grounds wherever possible and reasonable.
Where experience shows that people gather (entrance areas, staircases, elevators, etc.), attention must be paid to the appropriate protective distances (floor markings).

If it is impossible or unreasonable to maintain the minimum distance, a medical mouth/nose covering must be worn (limited mask obligation) – on the basis of the householder's rights or a risk assessment in accordance with the Occupational Health and Safety Act (Arbeitsschutzgesetz). A medically justified exemption from the mask requirement must be proven by a medical certificate on request at any time. Furthermore, wearing a medical mouth/nose covering is still recommended.

Additionally, the general infection protection rules ("cough and sneeze etiquette", hand hygiene, disinfection) continue to apply. Persons with recognizable symptoms of a COVID-19 disease are not allowed to enter the university buildings.

It is mandatory to comply with the respective current regulations after entering Germany.
 

4. Room use | Mobile work

In offices where it is not possible to maintain the minimum distance of 1.50 m, even by means of work organization measures, alternative protective measures must be taken (e.g. use of free room capacities, utilization of the working time frame).
In these cases in particular, office work can also be carried out as mobile work at home within the framework of the legal requirements and service agreements and after consultation with the respective supervisor.

Consultations/ committee meetings can be held in appropriately large rooms and in compliance with the general infection control regulations, in particular the minimum distance. If committee meetings are impossible or unreasonable to hold in person, or if face-to-face discussion and, in particular, decision-making are not required, meetings should be held by video or telephone conference to further reduce contact.  

Concrete regulations for practicing, teaching and events will be made separately, if necessary, and will be posted on the HfM website.
 

5. Sanitary rooms and hygiene measures

Skin-friendly liquid soap and disinfectants are provided in the sanitary rooms for cleaning hands.

Cleaning intervals are increased wherever possible. Door handles and surfaces that are frequently touched are cleaned and disinfected more frequently.

Disinfection dispensers are located in the entrance areas of all university buildings.
 

6. Side rooms and common rooms

The use of common rooms, cafeterias, etc. may be restricted.

In exceptional cases, these rooms may be used for necessary official measures (e.g. distribution of information material, distribution and performance of rapid tests, etc.) in order to be able to guarantee official procedures while maintaining the protective distances.

Stairwells and corridors are to be used only as traffic routes, and any stays are to be avoided.
 

7. Ventilation

Regular ventilation of the rooms must be ensured. It serves the safety of all, as it promotes air quality and counteracts the concentration of pathogens and aerosols in the indoor air. To this end, both offices, meeting rooms and classrooms shall be adequately ventilated on a regular basis, especially after each class.

Care must be taken to ensure that the windows are closed again, especially in the rooms where keyboard instruments are located.

Special information on ventilation and air-conditioning systems issued by the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs: The risk of transmission via ventilation and air-conditioning systems can be classified as low overall. It is not recommended to switch off RLT, as this may lead to an increase in the aerosol concentration in the room air and thus to an increase in the risk of infection.
 

8. Business trips | Secondary activities

The approval of business trips can also be made dependent on a risk assessment of the destination (in relation to the risk at the home location).

If countries are designated as special risk areas with corresponding re-entry regulations (according to the RKI), business trips are generally not approved or are revoked if the destination is classified accordingly at the start of the trip and a quarantine order is to be expected.

The approval of secondary activities is carried out in the same way as for business trips.
Secondary activities with a foreign connection that have already been (generally) approved should be carried out in accordance with the business trip practice.
 

9. Events

For events that are not open to the public, it is still possible, on the basis of a concrete assessment of the general infection situation and the individual risk situation, to specify further protective measures in addition to the general infection protection rules in accordance with Section 3, in particular personal restrictions, compulsory testing and compulsory masking.

An infection protection concept must be drawn up for public events that are open to the public, free of charge or for a fee. Depending on the infection situation, this concept may include restrictions on the number of persons, access restrictions (in particular mandatory testing) and/or mandatory masking.
 

10.  Guidelines for dealing with suspected cases

If there is a reasonable suspicion of a corona infection (presence of symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, disturbance of the sense of smell or taste, shortness of breath, rhinitis), the affected persons should stay at home and immediately contact a physician or the health office responsible for them by telephone for clarification. The instructions of the doctor or the public health department must be followed.
Persons with these symptoms should be asked to leave the university building immediately or to stay at home.

Until a medical clarification of the suspicion has been made, it is to be assumed that the person is unable to work/study. The university (supervisor or the personnel department) must be informed immediately.

11. Mental stress due to SARS-CoV-2

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic threatens and unsettles us all and creates great anxiety among many people. Other aspects to be considered with regard to psychological stress include possible conflictual disputes with colleagues and students, prolonged high work intensity in some areas, and the requirements of keeping one's distance and restricting contacts altogether.

We take these additional psychological stresses seriously, take them into account and - as far as it is possible for the university - take appropriate measures.

Contact: krisenstab-hfm(at)hfm-weimar.de
 

12. Instruction and active communication

All members and affiliates of the University will be informed of the safety and sanitation measures set forth herein, as well as the requirement to regularly check the University's website for possible changes.

These regulations will be posted in all buildings.
 

13. Protection of persons at particular risk / risk groups

Information and assistance for persons at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease (e.g., with certain pre-existing conditions) is currently available from the Robert Koch Institute (www.rki.de).

For persons belonging to a risk group or living in a common household with
persons at particular risk, special protective measures apply.
A medical certificate must be presented regarding membership of a risk group.

Especially in these cases, in consultation with the respective supervisor, employees in administration and technology should continue to have the option of working in a mobile home office and teaching should not take place in a classroom setting.

Digital teaching is to be carried out in a suitable manner by or for this group in the area of education. For any necessary urgent personal contacts with a person from the risk group, these must take place in a sufficiently large room.

Individual regulations going beyond this are to be coordinated with the chancellor. 

Weimar, 19 April 2022

Prof. Dr. Christoph Stölzl
President