COVID update: if you are sick, stay at home! Hygiene Conceptual Framework has been updated

Dear members of the university,

There are currently only a few COVID restrictions in place which affect public lives. The obligation to isolate for those infected with the coronavirus ended in Schleswig-Holstein in mid-November, and at the end of the year mandatory face masks on buses and trains in Schleswig-Holstein will also end.

University operations were also possible again this winter semester without restrictions on attendance. The CAU is required to produce a hygiene concept based on a risk assessment and to take measures to protect people from infection at work, according to the government's SARS-CoV2 Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The University Board has now concluded an updated Hygiene Conceptual Framework. The measures focus on basic behavioural rules as well as protecting members of the university who belong to risk groups, if they need special protection due to existing medical conditions or if they are pregnant. Those affected can find information about this on the CAU’s corona website.

The following basic principle applies to all university members, not just those with a potential COVID infection: if you are sick, stay at home!

Please have a look at the CAU’s corona website for what to do if you have an infection or if your lateral flow test is positive, and be considerate towards other university members! We also still strongly recommend wearing a face mask (surgical or FFP2 mask) in all CAU buildings and especially in lectures, if the minimum social distance of 1.5m cannot be adhered to. This is particularly important due to the parallel energy-saving measures that have been implemented whereby the ventilation systems have been switched from maximum fresh air supply to heat recovery.

We have been living and working with the pandemic’s restrictions for almost three years now, and they have been extremely challenging for us all, costing us a great deal of strength. We can see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, even though the number of people off sick is currently very high – not just because of COVID but also colds, flu and other illnesses, and once again parents in particular are confronted with difficult childcare situations. This situation requires us all to be considerate and show understanding for each other at the university, so that we can also overcome what is hopefully the last leg of the pandemic together. Thank you all very much for your efforts!

With kind regards,

Claudia Meyer
Chancellor