COVID-19

26. February 2020

Dear university members,
As the first COVID-19 infections have also arrived in Austria in recent days, the Rectorate has been working intensively alongside the relevant ministries and uniko (austrian university conference) on the effects of the virus on university operations.

At universities, many people, some of whom are very active travellers, are in close contact every day. We therefore take the current situation very seriously, even if, according to current information from the responsible authorities, the risk of COVID-19 infection for the population in Austria is assessed as low to moderate. It is important to us to keep the risk of infection of the Angewandte as low as possible, with due regard for all members of the university.

The Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research (BMBWF) as well as the Federal Ministry of Health continuously provide information online about developments, assessments and related measures (see corresponding links at the end of this information).

Based on the decisions of the rectorate, the following recommendations and measures come into force at Angewandte and apply until further notice:

Reduction of the risk of infection

Regular hand washing, increased hand hygiene / disinfection, "correct" sneezing and coughing (in tissues) and avoiding direct skin contact when greeting and saying goodbye (especially shaking hands) enables and significantly reduces the risk of infection.

Starting tomorrow (Thursday, 27 February 2020), numerous disinfectant dispensers will be installed at all university locations. Protective masks will not be provided as they do not guarantee comprehensive protection. Hand hygiene is a much more effective way to prevent contagion in the long term.

In your own interest and out of respect for your colleagues, we ask you to follow the hygiene instructions and use the disinfectants.

If you have returned from a COVID-19 risk area within the past two weeks, you are urged to pay attention to the possible occurrence of relevant symptoms of the disease (fever, cough, shortness of breath, breathing difficulties). The hygiene measures described above must be observed absolutely and in a particularly intensive form.

Trips and excursions
We ask you to independently review the current need for trips and excursions abroad with regard to a potential health risk and urge you to take into account the recommendations of the State Department:
https://www.bmeia.gv.at/en/travel-stay/travel-information/

Dealing with symptoms
If appropriate symptoms of the disease appear (fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing) AND a stay in one of the affected regions or contact with possible COVID-19-patients within the previous 14 days took place, please stay in your apartment and report immediately to the health hotline: 1450

There you will receive specific instructions on how to proceed.

If you are classified as a potential COVID-19-patient, employees please are asked to inform the HR department immediately, students are asked to inform the department for academic affairs.

In your own interest and in the interest of all members of the university, you are not permitted to enter the clinic before a complete medical examination.

Thank you for your cooperation in this challenging situation!

Best Regards
Gerald Bast (Rector), Barbara Putz-Plecko, Bernhard Kernegger, Eva Maria Stadler and Maria Zettler (Vice Rectors)

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Further information:

Information for higher education
The BMBWF collects information relevant to higher education on the following website:
https://www.bmbwf.gv.at/corona

General questions and daily information about the virus
The website of the Agency for Health and Food Security AGES of the Ministry of Health is a good point of contact for all general questions about the virus:
https://www.ages.at/themen/krankheitserreger/coronavirus/#

The information page of the City of Vienna is also very helpful: https://www.wien.gv.at/gesundheit/coronavirus.html

Telephone health advice: Telephone number 1450 (7 days a week, 0 a.m. to midnight)

Up-to-date information on the worldwide course of the disease can be found on the website of the Ministry of Health:
https://www.sozialministerium.at/Informationen-zum-Coronavirus.html

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