In light of current developments, the Crisis Management Team has decided to enforce a requirement to wear a mouth and nose covering in the corridors of RWTH from August 10. In written exams, candidates can take off their mouth and nose covering when they are at their exam desk, as long as the safety distance of 1.5 m is maintained there. The covering does not have to be worn during the exam. If an exam participant is declared to be infected with COVID-19, all participants and supervisors will be informed and considered category II contact persons according to the definition by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI). In such cases, no quarantine order will be enforced.
The situation with e-exams held in ZuseLab is different, however, since the safety distance of 1.5 m cannot be maintained there. Therefore, students have to wear a mouth and nose covering until the beginning of the exam and must refrain from talking to their neighbors before the exam starts. ZuseLab is full to capacity since the University would otherwise have to completely cancel about half of the exams due to unavailability of suitable exam venues. Plexiglass partitions have been installed between the exam desks and the air conditioning system in the venue also provides sufficient ventilation for participants.
In accordance with the Corona Protection Ordinance, a seating plan for additional traceability purposes has been implemented. If an exam participant is declared to be infected with COVID-19, everyone will be informed. In this case, however, those who were sitting around the individual will be considered category I contact persons, according to the RKI. Further, RWTH must report this group of candidates to the public health department and they will have a two-week quarantine order.
The University sees it as its duty to be transparent and inform students and employees about the possible consequences and it is trying to reduce the risk to a minimum, of course. Ultimately, it is up to the students themselves to decide whether to sit an exam.
As a reminder, individuals with respiratory symptoms (unless they have been cleared by a doctor, e.g. confirmed as having a cold) or fever are not allowed in the buildings of RWTH. Individuals with any symptoms of illness should refrain from taking a written exam out of consideration for their fellow students and the exam supervisors. Finally, candidates can withdraw from exams beforehand.