Corona-News

Members of RWTH and anyone interested can get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine of their choice – free of charge and no prior appointment needed.

The mobile vaccination bus of Städteregion Aachen will be making another stop at RWTH Aachen University on Monday, September 13, 2021. The bus will stop in front of the Main Building, Templergraben 55, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone interested can get vaccinated with the vaccine of their choice – free of charge and no prior appointment needed (for second vaccinations, the choice is limited to the approved vaccines for the second shot).

Please note: you must provide proof of ID and your health insurance card.

In the upcoming winter semester, all face-to-face teaching activities will, in principle, be permitted again according to the State ordinances currently in effect.

On the basis of the currently known regulations, in-person courses can be held if they are in compliance with the following regulations and recommendations:

• All participants of all in-person courses must be checked for compliance with the so-called 3G regulations when entering classrooms or lecture halls. Individuals who are neither fully vaccinated nor have recovered from Covid-19 nor have been tested are not allowed to participate in any face-to-face courses. Should a conflict arise, please contact University Security (+49 241 80 94250 or 113 from campus). Instructors are responsible for verifying that the 3G regulations are observed in their classrooms, and, of course, these same rules apply to them. Central University Administration (ZHV) is currently examining whether a visual marking of the Bluecard can be offered so that the checks can be accomplished more quickly. To encourage everyone to comply with distance requirements and the mask obligation, RWTH will station designated Corona Guides in the corridors of central lecture hall buildings again.
• We will try to offer free testing through the university medical center for all the students who have been inoculated abroad with a vaccine that is not licensed in the EU, as well as for those that cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. You will receive detailed information about this shortly. All other students not belonging to the 2G group (i.e. they have recovered from a coronavirus infection or are fully vaccinated) must get the required proof of a negative test on their own, which will, by that time, be subject to a fee.
• The obligation to maintain minimum distances between seats in classrooms also no longer applies. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend that seats in classrooms or lecture halls be occupied in a checkerboard pattern and that masks be worn during class.

Please keep in mind that regulations and recommendations may change at short notice, particularly due to changes in the rates of infection. For example, the Ministry of Science has reserved the right to address increased rates of infections in the winter semester by ordering the immediate conversion of face-to-face courses into virtual formats.

The Crisis Management Team will let you know about any changes to the regulations and recommendations as quickly as possible.

RWTH strongly recommends that all courses with more than 200 participants be held as online courses from the beginning. Since a combination of face-to-face and online courses will be offered in the winter semester, online options must be offered throughout the semester. We cannot assume that students will be able to attend online courses during the scheduled time slots, as they might need more time to move around campus between classes or get home.

It is possible to hold hybrid courses in which one group of students participates in the classroom and the other via video conference. However, the students can then choose freely between attending the course in person or online each time for the rest of the semester. We are currently preparing recommendations for technically implementing this hybrid option.

It is up to the instructors to decide whether a course is offered in-person, or online, or as a hybrid version.

Legally, a higher number of participants than 200 is also permissible per the State ordinances currently in effect. However, the experiences of the last three semesters have shown us that we would like to use virtual teaching formats permanently, especially in large courses, irrespective of the rates of infection. In addition, we must consider the organizational effort and time it takes to check for students’ compliance with the 3G regulations as they enter their classrooms or lecture halls, which unfortunately makes it difficult to hold large courses on-site at the moment. We have agreed with the representatives of all faculties to offer as much in-person teaching and learning as possible, especially to promote social interaction and integration among the students, but we must also address the ever-evolving pandemic in a responsible manner.

The above rules will likely apply to lab courses, excursions, and student workplaces as well.

Different regulations may apply for students of the Faculty of Medicine. The Dean’s Office is responsible for deciding on these regulations.

The Crisis Management Team and the Rectorate have established adapted regulations for RWTH based on the revised version of the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance. The new regulations, in effect until the start of the lecture period (October 10, 2021), are available here (PDF).

We will keep you informed about the further developments. In particular, an email from the Vice-Rector for Teaching and Learning with regulations and recommendations for the upcoming winter semester will follow shortly.

The University Medical Center is expanding its Covid-19 services starting next week. Individuals who have been vaccinated in a country outside the EU are often faced with the challenge of proving the equivalence of their vaccine according to the criteria of the European Union. The Paul-Ehrlich-Institut provides relevant information on the equivalence of vaccines here.

The University Medical Center now offers individuals the opportunity to be issued a vaccination certificate if they have received an equivalent vaccine to make it easier for them to have their compliance with the 3G regulation at RWTH checked. This certificate will be (exclusively) recognized as a vaccination certificate by RWTH. Currently, this offer particularly targets individuals who have received a COVISHIELD vaccine. If the Paul-Ehrlich-Institut recognizes further products, this list will be extended accordingly. Individuals vaccinated in countries with one of the four products authorized in the EU do not require a certificate.

The Vaccination Center of Uniklinik RWTH Aachen can issue certificates on the following dates:

• September 7, 2021, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• September 8, 2021, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• September 9, 2021, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• September 16, 2021, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
• September 23, 2021, 12 noon to 2 p.m.

After September 23, 2021, the vaccination clinic hours will be Thursdays from 12 noon to 2 p.m. Prior registration is not necessary. You will find the Vaccination Center at Uniklinikum RWTH Aachen, Konferenzraum, Floor E, Corridor 3 at Elevator B2. If you have any further questions, please contact the team at the University Medical Center at sekretariat@hsa.rwth-aachen.de.

In accordance with the new Coronavirus Protection Ordinance, the so-called 3G regulation will also apply in the dining halls operated by the Studierendenwerk from Monday, August 23. This means that only individuals who can prove that they have either tested negative for infection with Covid-19, recovered from a coronavirus infection, or been vaccinated against it will have access, as announced by the Studierendenwerk.

Diners can present the proof in paper or digital form. They will also have to bring a form of official ID for proper identification. Admission to the dining halls is possible by presenting the following proof:

• Tested: Negative test result from a test center or other recognized testing location (no older than 48 hours)
• Recovered: Proof of having recovered from a coronavirus infection.
• Vaccinated: proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior.

Individuals vaccinated with vaccines other than those approved in the EU must provide a current test to meet the 3G requirements.
Furthermore, Studierendenwerk Aachen asks for your understanding that, for organizational reasons, no distinction is made between to-go and sit-down service. Therefore, the 3G regulation also applies to guests who only want to take their food with them.
The distance requirement (also when waiting in line in front of the building) and the general mask obligation still apply.

For further information (in German) please go to: https://www.studierendenwerk-aachen.de/de/aktuelles/beitrag/coronavirus.html

Bild: Peter Winandy

Members of RWTH and anyone interested can get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine of their choice – free of charge and no prior appointment needed.

After a successful first session on August 5, 2021, the mobile vaccination bus of Städteregion Aachen will be making another stop at RWTH Aachen University on Monday, August 16, 2021. The bus will stop in front of the Main Building, Templergraben 55, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Anyone interested can get vaccinated with the vaccine of their choice – free of charge and no prior appointment needed (for second vaccinations, the choice is limited to the approved vaccines for the second shot).

Please note: you must provide proof of ID and your health insurance card.

The University Medical Center has expanded its vaccination offer so that single appointments are now possible. The mRNA vaccine Comirnaty from BioNTech/Pfizer will continue to be the only vaccine offered by the Center.

This vaccination offer is particularly targeted at the following:

• Individuals who would like mix-and-match inoculation (the first shot with one vaccine and the second with a different one). In this case, they must have already had a first shot of AstraZeneca.
• Individuals who have been infected with Covid-19 6 months prior, as defined by the Standing Commission on Vaccination.
• Individuals who have recently moved to the Aachen area and have already received their first vaccine shot.

Please note the following important guidelines:

• Make sure you bring the necessary documents from your first shot or proof of recovery with you to the arranged vaccination appointment. The University Medical Center can only give proper medical advice if such documents are at hand.
• When scheduling your appointment, please take into account the minimum vaccination intervals of 3 (BioNTech) or 4 (mix-and-match inoculation) weeks, as specified by the Standing Vaccination Commission.
• If you are unable to keep your appointment or have already made an appointment elsewhere, please send the University Medical Center an email at coronaimpfung@hsa.rwth-aachen.de immediately. Please do not make multiple bookings under any circumstances.

The booking portal, which you can find at https://ecampus.rwth-aachen.de/units/hsa is open with immediate effect. Employees need their personnel number to book an appointment, while students need their student ID number. If you do not know it, you can find it in the RWTH Selfservice under RWTH Data.

Please contact

• the University Medical Center regarding any medical questions
• the IT Service Desk if you have any technical issues,
• the relevant HR department if you have any questions about your personnel number, and
• the Registrar’s Office if you have any questions about your student ID number.

The times of vaccine shortages are now also a thing of the past in StädteRegion Aachen. For this reason, as of today, vaccinations are possible for all those from the age of 16 willing to be vaccinated at the Vaccination Center in Aachen and – unlike in the past – without an appointment. More than an ID card and – if available – the yellow vaccination booklet are not necessary. Due to the large supply, everyone can also freely choose their vaccine on site. The vaccination center (Hubert-Wienen-Strasse 8, 52070 Aachen, Germany) will be open this weekend (Friday through Sunday) from 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. each day. Those wishing to be vaccinated without an appointment will be accepted until 10 pm.

More information on the website of the City of Aachen.

The new Coronavirus Protection Ordinance stipulates a one-off testing requirement, effective from tomorrow, Friday, July 9, for all employees returning to work on site for the first time following a vacation of at least five consecutive working days and comparable leaves of absence from work.

Employees must present a valid negative test, proof that they are fully vaccinated, or proof of recovery from infection to their respective supervisors on their first day back to work. Alternatively, employees can also take a documented, supervised self-test at the beginning of this workday in compliance with employee testing under Section 4 of the Coronavirus Test and Quarantine Ordinance. The self-tests can still be obtained free of charge from the RWTH Purchasing Portal.

Employees and their respective superiors are both equally responsible for compliance with this regulation.

You will soon be able to find further information in the FAQs.