Current Information about COVID-19 (Corona Virus SARS-CoV-2)
Due to the worsening situation in the risk areas affected by the SARS-coronavirus-2 epidemic, updated instruction and information are being issued. Risk areas are areas where a continued person-to-person transmission can be presumed. The Robert Koch Institute keeps a list of current risk areas and updates it on a regular basis. The risks areas are currently:
- In China: Hubei province (including the city of Wuhan)
- In Iran: Ghom province, Teheran
- In Italy: South Tyrol, Emilia-Romagna region, Lombardy region, and the city of Vo in the Padua province in the Veneto region.
- In South Korea: Gyeongsangbuk-do province (North Gyeongsang).
The following remarks refer to the health prevention and protection of staff and students:
Information for people with travel plans to COVID risk areas
If you have plans to travel to risk areas, we urgently request that you postpone them. At Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, official travel to these areas continues to be prohibited until further notice.
Information for people with travel plans to other areas
Trips to other areas should also be subject to the following considerations and precautions should be taken:
- Urgency of the travel
Is the trip mandatory? Are there alternatives (telephone conversations, video conferences)? Is a postponement or cancellation possible? Are event organizers considering the cancellation of the event themselves? - On-site conditions:
Information about entry and exit conditions, consultations and communication with event organizers and contact persons on site, references to possible border closings and quarantine measures, prohibitions, government requirements or restrictions in daily life (wearing protective equipment, health checks, medical cards)
Furthermore, no official travel should be undertaken if travellers are suffering from typical cold symptoms (fever, coughing, breathing difficulties, etc. )
There is currently no central compendium about which persons are outside of Germany on official business. For this reason, we urgently request that before departing you leave travel and contact information with the appropriate offices (e.g., institution or faculty administration, department heads).
The Robert Koch-Institut and the Foreign Office have listed on their websites all current risk areas and have summarized the important security measures:
Information from the Robert Koch-Institut
Information from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control
Information from the Foreign Office
Information for exchange students and recently admitted students who are currently in risk areas and plan to travel to Berlin
Exchange students and recently admitted students who are currently in risk areas and plan to travel to Berlin are urgently requested to postpone their trip until further notice. Guests of Humboldt-Universität are also requested to postpone their travel.
Information for staff and students who are currently in risk areas
The university leadership suggests that HU staff and HU students in risk areas return to Germany immediately. You should contact the responsible health department before departure. You can find the state information centre of the responsible health department here.
In addition, staff are required to report to their supervisors and provide information prior to returning or at the latest immediately after arriving in Berlin.
Information for people who were recently in risk areas
People who have recently returned to Germany from a risk area are advised to remain at home for 14 days as a precaution and to inform the responsible health department.
This recommendation is in place for the duration of the (partial) travel warning of the Foreign Office. If study progress or scientific projects are jeopardised by the voluntary quarantine, then supervisors and advisors can be contacted per email or telephone in order to work out a solution.
The situation demands a flexible approach. Whenever reasonably possible, all forms of home office can be used. Time credits should be applied. If no other options are possible, paid leave should be granted. Staff are requested to contact supervisors on a regular basis.
Information for parents of children in day care and primary schools closed due to COVID-19
If children require supervision, all family supervision possibilities should initially be used. Here as well the presumed duration will not be more than 14 days and for this reason liberal use can be made of home-office options. Time credits should be applied. If no other options are available, paid leave should be granted. Staff should maintain regular contact with their supervisors.
Hotlines
Since 28 January 2020, the Senate Department for Health, Care and Gender Equality has had a hotline to advise residents and guests of Berlin:
+49 30 9028 2828
Daily from 8:00 bis 20:00
Public Insurance Emergency Services can be reached at the following number:
+ 49 116 117
Daily from 8:00 bis 24:00
The Federal Ministry of Health’s hotline for the coronavirus:
+49 30 346 465 100
Monday through Thursday from 8:00 to 18:00, Friday from 8:00 to 12:00
The Berlin Senate Health Department recommends an evaluation if:
- You have been in a risk area in the past 14 days,
- You have had contact with a person in a risk area,
- Or you have had contact with an infected person.