How did the emergence of the Corona cases happen?

According to the current information, a student caught the disease during an excursion to Göttingen. During the excursion the general hygiene regulations and recommendations of the RKI were strictly observed. We assume that the occurrence of infection among our students was primarily caused by the common return journey in a coach. During the bus trip the students and employees wore a mouth and nose protector as well.

Why did this excursion take place at all?

The excursion is part of the study program and serves the practical application of social science methods. Usually this excursion takes place in spring time, as 10 days project abroad. Due to corona, the excursion had been postponed from spring, shortened to half the time and moved to an inner-German area without increased risk. As far as we are aware during the excursion the hygiene rules and recommendations were followed. The choice of traveling by coach, followed the intention  of keeping the group among themselves as much as possible. The same principle was applied to the accommodation in Göttingen - so that in the event of an infection the chains of infection would remain as comprehensible as possible.

Have there been problems with the concept of hygiene or possible weak points?

Our concept of hygiene in general as well as for the excursion are based on the general standards of the RKI, the Corona regulation of the State and the guideline for universities by the Ministry of Economics, Science and Digitalization of Saxony-Anhalt.

Our regulations have been coordinated with the responsible health authority.

Whether the concept was fully implemented, and followed by all, is currently under investigation.

What is the status of Corona development?

Status 18.10.2020

10 students tested positive.e for Coron19, further students have cold symptoms. 42 persons are in domestic quarantine.

Up to now, the course of the disease has shown predominantly mild to moderate cold symptoms.

What measures were taken in response to the corona outbreak?

We are in close communication with the health authorities and coordinate our measures with the responsible employees. We support the public health department in tracing  the chains of contact and communicating with the affected students and employees.

1. Immediate measures to take care of our students and employees

   We have placed all infected students and their contact persons, as well as students with cold symptoms in single rooms. The university's guest house is also used for this purpose. At present, we are providing 42 students and staff members who are in domestic (self-)quarantine with the necessities of life, medication and psychosocial support.

2. Teaching and other events

In addition to the general rules of hygiene (keep distance, observe hygiene, wear a mask in all buildings, regularly ventilate and reduce contact), which continue to apply, all lessons and other events for the next week will either be held in digital form rather than in person, or will be postponed. This also applies to the "OneYearForJesus Group". The block intensive, which should start on 26.10. for part-time students, will not be held in presence. In the middle of the week a decision will be made on the duration of the suspension of in vivo events.

University choir completely suspends the rehearsals.

The library is closed to the public.

The Mensa is opened only in the morning and at noon, the rules of distance and hygiene are tightened.

Employees will not take business trips until 30.10.  They will be able to work in their home office whenever possible. Contact times in the offices will be reduced or avoided altogether if possible.

Planned events of student life are cancelled for the next two weeks.

3. Further measures

Special consideration is given to the local retirement home, and ensure fast communication.  Thus, the possibility of visiting the home for the elderly was already stopped on Friday.

The guesthouse will not accept any external guests until 10.11. Bookings already made, will be cancelled.

The sports facilities on the campus are closed, team sports of the university sports club will not take place.

We will inform all students and employees regularly about further developments.

Statement by the university to the Friedensau community and the district of JerchiowerLand

We regret the CoVID19 outbreak among our students and hope for few infections and a mild course of the disease. We wish a quick recovery to all infected students, and to all in quarantine the strength and endurance to make this time bearable. We appeal to the Friedensau community for the safety of others  to adhere to the general rules of hygiene, to support orders and decisions of the university management and to refrain from unnecessary contact with each other and with our neighbors in the vicinity and beyond.

We hope that the outbreak, which is still locally limited to Friedensau, will remain contained and will not lead to further restrictions for the residents of the district. Whatever is in our power to achieve this goal, we will gladly do.