Coronavirus report 7 January

Detailed decisions on teaching arrangements are managed in accordance with the regular delegation of authority in each disciplinary domain. Uppsala University will continue to endeavour to keep its premises open for students and staff. The University has long had a range of infection prevention measures in place.

• Follow the general recommendations of the Public Health Agency of Sweden.
• Take responsibility for protecting yourself and others against infection.
• Protect yourself by getting vaccinated. Uppsala University calls on all members of staff and students to take their responsibility by getting vaccinated.
• Stay at home and take a test if you have symptoms.
• Stay at home if someone else in your household contracts COVID-19.
• Keep your distance from other people.
• Work from home. At Uppsala University, members of staff who can work from home should work from home, duties and operational demands permitting, until 31 January. Decisions on homeworking are to be taken by heads of department or equivalent line managers.

The recommendations in full are available at: https://www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se/smittskydd-beredskap/utbrott/aktuella-utbrott/covid-19/skydda-dig-och-andra/skydda-dig-sjalv-och-andra-rekommendationer-om-covid-19/

In addition to the general guidelines, Uppsala University has a number of infection control measures designed to ensure that the University, as far as possible, plays its part in limiting the general spread of infection. These include:

• Facilitating good hand hygiene by strategically placed hand sanitiser stations throughout Uppsala University.
• Continuous and recurrent collaboration with leading doctors in Region Uppsala’s infection control and contact tracing unit.
• Special guidelines for examinations, with particular attention to entry and exit points, opportunities for good hand hygiene, plexiglass screens between examinees and invigilators, and physical distancing between students taking examinations. Everyone – students and staff members alike – is free to use a face mask in cases where the individual feels this is desirable/necessary.
• A designated coronavirus coordinator with a special mandate to monitor developments. The coronavirus coordinator, who is also the Chief Security Officer, leads a university-wide group with representatives from all parts of the University which convenes on a regular basis.
• Continuous collaboration occurs in line with regular procedures under the Employment (Co-Determination in the Workplace) Act. The HR Director is responsible for ensuring that safety representatives in coordinating roles at the University are called to meetings and collaborate with the coronavirus coordinator on information issued and received.
• Any member of staff who tests positive for COVID-19 must contact their head of department or equivalent line manager who will then take appropriate action in accordance with established procedures at the department/division.
• An anonymous self-reporting system in which students and members of staff with confirmed COVID-19 can report to the University’s duty officer is being reintroduced. This will facilitate adequate and more targeted infection control measures in the relevant disciplinary domain. These measures include information for specific student groups and the possibility of switching to remote teaching for certain parts of the activities concerned https://form.diariet.uu.se/ufv/gallande-medarbetare-ufv/rapporteringcovid19
• General coronavirus reports on the current coronavirus situation. These will resume on a weekly basis from 7 January.

On 10 January, representatives from the Region Uppsala infection control and contact tracing unit will update the Management Council on the current coronavirus situation. In addition, as stated above, Uppsala University is monitoring and will respond to any new decisions and recommendations made by the government as recommended by the Public Health Agency of Sweden. This often involves urgent action as a result of new information reaching the University. Finally, the University is preparing for the implications of new recommendations and measures that need to be taken in the event of a move to phase 2.