The winter semester under the portent of corona

On October 17, 2020, the state government declared the highest corona warning level for all of Baden-Württemberg. After the University of Freiburg had introduced the extended mandatory mask-wearing as a first step, the second step has now been taken: It has updated its hygiene regulations and adopted its own phased plan in order to be able to react appropriately to the development of the infection incidence.

Photo: Sandra Meyndt

“Our primary goal is to protect the health of all University members as best we can and to make our contribution to contain the infection,” emphasizes Rector Prof. Dr. Kerstin Krieglstein. “Due to the currently unforeseeable occurrence of infections, however, only single principle can now be applied to the entire study program: We are primarily focusing on digital teaching, but we also want to maintain the opportunities for face-to-face and hybrid teaching as long as humanly possible.” „

According to the plan, the University of Freiburg is currently in stage 4, based on the infection incidence in the city and the surrounding districts, and presence formats with up to 100 persons can continue to take place, provided that the requirements of the university hygiene regulations are met: The distance, hygiene and mask regulations apply as well as the obligation to collect data, the specifications for ventilation and cleaning of the rooms and the observance of the ban on access and participation in the event of typical symptoms or contact with infected persons (see information box).

A timely switch

However, it is possible that level 5 could be reached in a short time. Then, as in the summer semester, classroom teaching would be suspended and the changeover to distance learning would take place. “We all had hoped to offer classroom teaching, possibly in hybrid formats, at least for the first few weeks, at least for our first and second semester students for the 2020/21 winter semester,” says Krieglstein. "At the same time, however, we would like to encourage all lecturers to switch to digital formats in good time. We want to and must guarantee the studyability of our courses and at the same time offer our students the best learning and study conditions currently possible.”

The University of Freiburg will continue to update information on new developments on its Corona website as soon as possible, and will continue the list of answers to the most urgent questions. "The coming winter semester will once again demand a lot from all of us," the Rector concludes. “However, I am convinced that as a University community we will also master this challenge.”

Nicolas Scherger

An overview of the most important hygiene regulations

Social distancing: Maintain a minimum distance of 1.5 m from other persons; wearing a mouth-and-nose covering does not in principle lead to a suspension of the minimum distance requirement and other hygiene rules.

Hygiene: wash your hands regularly and thoroughly. Cough and sneeze into the crook of your arm.

Everyday masks: wear a mouth-and-nose covering.

Ventilation: air out the room regularly, even during the cold winter months.

Regulation of room usage: Regulation of the maximum occupancy in compliance with the distance rule and consistent compliance with the occupancy.

Third-party events: The University buildings may only be used for University purposes; no third-party events are allowed.

Ban on entry and participation: for people who
- are or have been in contact with a person infected with the coronavirus, if 14 days have not yet passed since the last contact
- show typical symptoms of infection with the corona virus, namely fever, dry cough, impaired sense of taste or smell, or
- do not wear a mouth-and-nose covering.

Entry for persons not affiliated with the University: Limited access for non-affiliated persons to the utmost minimum.

Data collection for contact tracing: Capture contact information for rapid detection and containment of infection chains.