Information about corona virus

12. Mar. 2020

Today at noon the Ministry of Science, Saxony-Anhalt, has informed us, that the state-owned universities in Saxony-Anhalt will start the regular course offer on April 20, instead of April 6. The current examination dates will be postponed to a date after April 20.

This order does not concern Friedensau Adventist University, which will start the regular course offer next Monday, March 16. University Management Board has decided, that a postponing of the semester start by 5 weeks for the ca. 200 students at FAU is not appropriate. The 146 full time students are mostly already here at FAU campus. The class size of max. 35 students makes possible with the definded tasks for individual risk evaluation sufficient possibilities to avoid infections.

Friedensau is an international campus university. We study and live in close community, that’s why we want to face this situation in an adequate way. This means, that university administration will react together with retirement home, the community, the local church and with the responsible authorities to the current development. The taken actions are valid until further notice and can changed or recharged any time. We recommend to check emails and website regurarly.

World Health Organisation has defined the spreading of  Covid-19-Virus am 11.03.20 as pandemic. In Germany, Robert-Koch-Institut (RKI) is the responsible information authority. At the RKI-Website you can find all information about the virus and the disease.

Tasks:
Semester begin:

For semester begin we ask all students and staff to inform us via online form, if they suffer from acute respiratory symtomps or non specific medical conditions, such as ague, lassitude or debility, had contact during last 14 days with a person with positive proof of corona-virus (SARS-CoV-2) or stayed during last 14 days in a risk area stated by Robert-Koch-Institute. Status 12.03.20: in Germany: district Heinsberg (North Rhyne Westphalia) Italy, Iran, In China: province Hubei (incl. City of Wuhan), in South Korea: province Gyeongsangbuk-do (North-Gyeongsang), in France: Region Grand Est (this region includes Alsasse-Lorraineand Champagne-Ardenne).

Students and staff with ague or two positive answers, we ask to stay away from university events (lecture, sports, church, etc.) or cafeteria and library. Students and staff, who have disease symptoms and belong to a risk group, we ask to stay home. Students in dormitory and apartments  who might be affected, please contact the Dean of Students (Jens Schwenger -140) and the students’ service (Renate Dost -599). They will help you to contact the doctor by phone.

We have the urgent request for all students and staff, to follow the 10 hygiene rules:

  1. Wash your hands regularly
  2. Wash your hands thouroghly 30 sec. with soap and running water
  3. Keep your hands away from your face
  4. Cough and sneeze in the right way, (inside of the elbow or tissue), keep distance
  5. Keep distance, avoid contact, do not use towels, dishes, etc. together
  6. Protect wounds, use plasters and bandages
  7. Keep in mind clean rooms, especially kitchen and bathrooms, change cleaning rags and let them dry
  8. Hygienic treatment of food, keep food in the fridge, wash fruits and vegetables before eating
  9. Wash dishes and clothes hot, cleaning rags, towels, bedlinen and underwear at least 60°C
  10. Take care for good ventilation, quick ventilation severeal tims a day.
Events

For all events a responsible and individual check is necessary, whether this event actually has to take place. We encourage to renounce events with a lot of participants (more than 200) or participants from far away, and to hold the events as short as possible.

As a rule, at Friedensau Adventist University we have events with a managable size of participants and sufficient large rooms. If all students and staff follow the tasks above, the risk of an infection is very low. The same applies for the normal life in Friedensau and its surroundings. That’s why we don’t see the necessity to cancel or move events and lessons. We check, if we have to cancel individual events because of the special risk situation.

Business trips

Business trips in risk areas stated by RKI are forbidden by service regulation, same for transit through these areas. In addition we ask for attention and responsible action at travel planning and guest service, especially against the setting of duty in respect of care and supervision.

Home office

If possible, agreements about home office as a special measure for health prevention can made directly between superior and staff, in writing per email. Please clear all questions on this way, accessibilty has to be guaranteed. Rules for deputizing have to be fixed in time.

Bild der THH Friedensau
© Romolo Tavani – stock.adobe.com