Coronavirus: protective measures and organization
Version: 10 September 2020
At the University of Lucerne, the fall semester is being held under the maxim "As personal as possible, as digital as necessary". In order to be able to implement this and to protect the health of students, lecturers, employees and third parties, the University has defined protective measures and taken organizational measures. The basis for this is the protection concept.
On this page you will find continuously updated information about the corona situation. Students, lecturers and staff will be informed by e-mail in case of any major changes.
Protect yourself and others | Information for students | Information for staff | General information
Protect yourself and others
Thank you for protecting yourself and others!
The measures are an integral part of the protection concept (Appendix A) and are binding for employees and visitors.
1. Hand hygiene
Employees, students, lecturers and visitors:
- must clean hands regularly with soap and water or with disinfectant on arrival,
- must clean hands with soap and water or with disinfectant before and after: each session, each over-the-counter meeting, each lesson in a lecture hall, seminar room or meeting room, after reading newspapers and other published brochures
- must avoid touching the surfaces of objects.
2. Keep your distance and wear an oronasal face mask
Employees, students, lecturers and visitors:
- maintain the defined basic distance to other persons,
- wear an oronasal face mask on the premises of the University of Lucerne (see exceptions in chapter 2.2 of the protection concept phase 3),
- refrain from shaking hands and other forms of physical contact,
- set up their workplaces in such a way that the basic distance is adhered to,
- observe the minimum distance also in the common rooms,
- limit their contact with students and visitors to a minimum,
- restrict access for consultation hours,
- pay attention to the basic distance in over-the-counter situations and - where this is not possible - use a plexiglass screen,
- avoid the use of the lift,
- observe the personnel guidance measures, e.g. in the stairwell, waiting areas, toilet facilities.
3. Ventilation
- offices are well ventilated several times a day.
- classroooms are optimally ventilated by technical ventilation: the windows remain closed.
- the classrooms have separate systems for fresh air and extracted air. Thanks to this structural building requirement, the spread of viruses via the ventilation system can be excluded.
4. Protection of ‘at risk’ persons
All members of the university make the protection of ‘at risk’ persons a priority and take the initiative if they see any room for improvement.
In order to realize the maxim "As personal as possible, as digital as necessary" and to be able to hold as many events as possible in presence mode again, a general obligation to wear oronasal face masks has been in force on all premises of the University of Lucerne since August 17. With the protection concept phase III, which is valid from August 24, the obligation to wear oronasal face masks is specified and exceptions are defined.
The decision to make masks mandatory was made against the background of an increased number of cases and the realization that Corona will not disappear so quickly. The corona virus is transmitted by close contact, droplets and hands and can be asymptomatic, so that an infection is not always noticed. Many people, narrow rooms and poor ventilation are factors that increase the risk of infection. Wearing an oronasal protective mask has been shown to reduce the risk of infection.
This step is intended to increase protection and safety for everyone and at the same time create trust. Even with protective masks, the minimum distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained at all times - if possible.
The obligation to wear an oronasal face mask for the mouth and nose is excluded for the following persons/circumstances:
- Lecturers; they decide for themselves whether to wear a face mask during lessons, but without a protective mask they must at maintain a minimum distance from students/listeners at all times;
- persons who are exempt from the obligation to wear a mask by means of a medical certificate, whereby these persons are strongly advised not to spend time on university premises and to follow the courses in digital form;
- persons who work in individual offices;
- persons working in multi-person offices, where only a maximum of 50% of the workstations are occupied, the minimum distance is guaranteed at all times, and the persons in the same office agree to this.
For on-site courses, students will initially receive a pack of disposable hygiene masks (10 pieces). The distribution is done by the faculties. Employees receive a face mask from the university.
How to behave if you experience any symptoms and the quarantine rules are defined in chapter 3.1 of the protection concept. Employees, students, lecturers, visitors must therefore stay at home if symptoms of the disease appear and go into quarantine for 10 days if they have been less than 1.5 metres away from an infected person for at least 15 minutes without a protective mask or protective glass, - if they have been instructed to do so by cantonal authorities, if they have received a corresponding notification via the SwissCovid App or if they have entered Switzerland from a risk area according to the FOPH list. List of countries and further information (FOPH)
SwissCovid App and Contact Tracing
Contact tracing is used to find close contacts of persons infected with the coronavirus. The SwissCovid App supports this: It determines if we have had contact with an infected person. This enables us to stop transmission chains. The University of Lucerne recommends employees, students, lecturers and visitors to use the app. Further information (FOPH)
Coronavirus check
For people who have symptoms and are unsure how to behave, the FOPH has provided an online tool. After answering various questions, the user receives a recommendation for action from the FOPH. The University of Lucerne recommends that employees, students, lecturers and visitors with symptoms carry out the online check. Online tool (FOPH)
Please observe the recommendations of the Federal Office of Public Health (FOPH) regarding the coronavirus: foph-coronavirus.ch.
Information for students
The fall semester 2020 will take place in hybrid mode. This means that one group of students will be present in the Uni/PH building, while another group of students will attend lectures via the Zoom software. The groups participating in analog and digital form will alternate.
Information and tips on studying in the hybrid semester: www.unilu.ch/go-hybrid
The "Zoom" software is used for lectures and meetings. Information and instructions can be found at www.unilu.ch/zoom.
For doctoral students, PostDocs and incoming students there is now a new counselling offer: in order to help you get through these difficult times we are dedicated to helping you with personal, emotional and psychological concerns. Should you like to get such help – completely free of charge - please get in touch with counselling@unilu.ch for strictly confidential counselling. As a trained and practicing psychologist, the person in charge has a longstanding, specialised experience in counselling students and academics. Remote, individual sessions over the internet are offered in English, French or Italian.
For further topics see "General Information"
Information for staff
Orders for protection material for the phase after June 8 are placed by faculty managers and heads of department.
In addition to the generally applicable protective measures, the measures in accordance with Section 3.3 of the protection concept must be observed during discussions and meetings. The organizing persons:
- are responsible for compliance with the occupancy limits set out in Annex B and for the non-discriminatory integration of members of the R, I, Q and K groups
- can apply for plexiglass panes if they are regularly visited by students or third parties (over-the-counter operations, student advisory service, apprentice support, etc.). Procurement is carried out via Facility Management;
- must be prepared to participate in "contact tracing" at the request of the Secretary General
Regulations on working hours and keeping timesheets
The special regulation on working hours and time sheets was discontinued at the end of July 2020. This means that the actual working time must now be recorded. Under the special regulation, employees were able to enter their planned working hours even if they were unable to do so due to corona-related care tasks or too little work.
Further information on the regulation of working hours and timesheets (in German)
Home office
Working from home is governed by the existing regulations as per the information sheet dated 24th January 2017, and superiors are called upon to approve home office requests. However, operations must be maintained and a contact person per team must be available.
Further information on the topic of home office (in German)
Helping each other
The project "Helping each other" has concluded its activities at the end of June.
Employees who are ill, have tested positive for coronavirus or show typical symptoms (especially fever and/or cough) report immediately to their supervisor and stay at home. They are entitled to continued payment of their wages. The same applies to employees who have had close contact with a person who is ill with coronavirus and who therefore have to go into quarantine due to the order of the responsible cantonal authorities (contact tracing) or who go into self-isolation due to a report of the SwissCovid App. If possible, home office services are provided. There is no entitlement to continued payment of salary if no home office is possible and the quarantine was the result of a trip to a risk area, after whose return a 10-day quarantine must be followed in accordance with federal regulations.
Quarantine obligation for travellers from certain areas
Since 6 July 2020, quarantine obligations have been imposed on travellers from certain areas. The obligation applies for 10 days after entry. List of countries and further information (FOPH)
The "Zoom" software is used for lectures and meetings. Information and instructions can be found via www.unilu.ch/zoom.
An offer of support is organised for lecturers with regard to the implementation of hybrid teaching. Further information is available at www.unilu.ch/hybrid.
General information
Since August 24, the protection concept for the autumn semester 2020 / Phase 3 is valid.
The library, canteen, student shop and university sports have their own protection concepts approved by the university.
Admission to the Uni/PH building is free for all. There will be no access checks;
On all premises of the University of Lucerne (Uni/PH building and ancillary locations) and at all times:
- the minimum distance of 1.5 metres - if possible - must be observed;
- the hygiene regulations according to Appendix A must be observed;
- persons over 12 years of age must wear an oronasal face mask, regardless of whether the minimum distance can be maintained (exceptions apply to lecturers, persons who are exempt from the obligation to wear oronasal face masks by means of a medical certificate and under certain conditions in offices);
- the maximum occupancy rates of the lecture halls, according to Appendix B, must be observed.
For all events, the maximum number of participants is 100.
There are no aperitifs to be held.
The library, canteen, student shop and university sports have their own protection concepts, approved by the university, which must be observed when entering their premises.
The Lucerne University of Education, which is also located in the building, regulates access to its rooms in its own protection concept.
The opening hours of the Uni/PH building are:
| Uni/PH building | Library | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 7.00 - 21.30 h | 7.30 - 21.30 h |
| Saturday | 7.45 - 15.30 h | 7.45 - 15.30 h |
Further Information
Since 8 June, the Lucerne Central and University Library (ZHB Luzern)’s location in the Uni/PH building has been open to a limited extent for the lending and consultation of books that cannot be borrowed. The protective measures include limiting access by means of a "drop off counter". Since 29 June, 300 study places have been available.
Opening hours
Monday to Friday from 7.30 to 21.30
Saturday from 7.45 to 15.30
Lending
The open access holdings are accessible. Borrowable media can be borrowed at the self-service check-out counter or at the regular counter. Newspapers are available again.
Media can be ordered from the library catalogue iluplus and sent by post to your home address for CHF 12 per item or collected free of charge at the locations Sempacherstrasse, Pädagogisches Medienzentrum Luzern or Kooperative Speicherbibliothek Büron and the HSLU libraries.
Return
Media can be returned during opening hours. Media can also be returned by mail or returned to other locations of the Lucerne IDS libraries.
Reminder fees
For late returns, fees will now be charged again.
Copy
Two copy machines and a book scanner are available to the public.
Copy orders
Since 29 June, scan orders have again been subject to a fee, even for university members. The price is Fr. 5 per article/chapter and per 20 pages started. Due to copyright law, only excerpts from copyrighted works and not entire works may be copied and sent. Sending copies by post remains subject to a fee (Fr. 5.- per article/chapter and per 20 pages started).
Electronic media
The range of electronic media will continue to be available around the clock via www.zhbluzern.ch/recherche/e-medien.
Learning places
There are 300 workplaces available in the library. The docotoral students’ room is limited for doctoral students and students working on their master theses.
Group work rooms
The group work rooms are open.
Contact details for university members (i.e. students, staff and lecturers) with questions specific to the university: safecorona@unilu.ch.
The Psychological Advice Centre of the University of Lucerne, the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HSLU) and the University of Teacher Education (PHLU) offers students, lecturers and employees support, advice and assistance in specific stressful situations and with problems connected to university study or everyday professional life. The advice is free of charge and confidential. There is the option to choose between personal conversation, online consultation or telephone conversation. More information (Website Psychological Advice Centre, in German)
The university chaplaincy is also available to provide advice in difficult situations.
The University of Lucerne is continuously monitoring the situation and is assessing the situation based on information provided by the responsible federal and cantonal authorities. We are also adhering to all instructions given by these authorities. University management has taken the necessary provisions to be able to react effectively to the situation. A task force was set up to monitor and assess the situation on a continuous basis.