WINTER SEMESTER OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR 2021/2022

Recommendations for students and employees of the Wrocław Medical University concerning the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection for the winter semester 2021/2022.

Note: Any recommendations provided are subject to change based on the epidemiological developments.

LET’S REMEMBER!

VACCINATION DOES NOT MEAN AN EXEMPTION FROM THE OBLIGATION
TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS AND TO ABIDE BY BASIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS, INCLUDING USING MEDICAL MASKS

1. General guidelines

• Students shouldn’t crowd in the locker rooms and gather in large groups in hallways, in the Kardamon bar and other common spaces.
• A social distance is recommended.
• It is absolutely necessary to cover the mouth and nose at least with a medical mask in the University buildings.
• It is recommended that the rooms in which classes are held, should be ventilated periodically: during class, during breaks between classes, and after the class.
• Eating meals in groups during breaks is strictly prohibited.
• Ensure that contact surfaces in the teaching rooms are disinfected after each group's class, using an alcohol-based disinfectant.
• It is recommended that students and employees, if possible, should limit their use of public transport in favor of private vehicles, walking, cycling (e.g., car, bicycle, scooter).
• Persons in quarantine or home isolation and persons who have had contact with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 within the past 14 days or who share a flat with person in home isolation, cannot participate in classes.
• Quarantine does not apply to persons, who have recovered from COVID-19 within 6 months and persons who were fully vaccinated against COVID-19 at least 7 days prior (Regulation of the Ministry of Health 6th of May 2021).
• Regardless of vaccination, employees and students are subject to the University's infection management procedure, available on the University's main website in the "Coronavirus - Key information" tab.
• Only healthy persons can participate in the classes, who don’t have symptoms suggesting an infectious disease such as: elevated body temperature, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, smell and taste disorders, sore throat, chest pain, diarrhea and who are not currently using antipyretic and/or anti-inflammatory drugs due to fever and/or infection.

• NOTE: ANY PERSON PRESENTING SYMPTOMS MENTIONED ABOVE IS PROHIBITED TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CLASSES and should immediately take the actions specified in the Procedure for Suspicion of SARS-CoV-2 Infection among employees, students and PhD Students of the Wroclaw Medical University, available on the University's main website in the "Coronavirus - Key Information" tab

At the beginning of the semester, students electronically declare that they have read the educational materials and recommendations posted on the WMU website entitled: "Recommendations for students, PhD students and employees of the Wroclaw Medical University concerning the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the winter semester of the academic year 2021/2022" and certify to follow them, and has been informed about the University's procedure for dealing with suspected SARS-CoV-2 infection among employees, students and PhD students of the Wroclaw Medical University, and know and understand its contents. Year supervisors are obliged to verify that the student has completed the statement.

HERE IS THE LINK TO THE STATEMENT !

Students who do not respect the epidemiological recommendations are not allowed to participate in classes.

2. Clinical and practical classes with patients – Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Health Sciences

1. Medical surgical mask covering mouth and nose;
2. Workwear (medical uniform + disposable interlining clothing);
3. Disposable gloves (depending on performed activity);
4. Hand disinfectant
5. Each student taking classes in medical facilities is required to wash hands with soap and water and disinfect them before entering the ward. The student repeats this activity when leaving the ward.
6. It is recommended to disinfect hands frequently during classes.

NOTE: When performing procedures with aerosol generation and during practical classes in the Academic Dental Polyclinic (contact with the patient's oral cavity), the use of PPE protecting against airborne and air-dust transmission is mandatory:

1. Masks with FFP2 filter

2. Workwear (medical uniform + disposable interlining clothing)

3. Disposable gloves (it is advised to consider the double-glove technique)

4. Face shield

3. Lectures are held using online distance learning methods and techniques.

4. Other forms of classes: seminars, non-clinical classes, auditory courses, laboratory classes, classes in simulated conditions and specialized-magisterial classes - Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Faculty of Health Sciences

1. If possible, social distancing is recommended.
2. It is obligatory to use medical surgical mask covering mouth and nose;
3. Disposable gloves (if it is required by the type of class);
4. Access to disinfectant and possibility to wash hands.
5. After each group, disinfect touch surfaces with an alcohol-based disinfectant (more than 60% alcohol content).

5. Computer rooms, technical skills laboratories:

1. A hand disinfectant should be available in the room – students are required to disinfect their hands before working with a teaching equipment (phantoms, simulators or other teaching equipment).
2. After each class and before the arrival of a new group, it is recommended to disinfect the contact surfaces: switches, desks, keyboards, mouses. In the case of keyboards, there is a possibility to use foil that can be changed after each group. Foil-covered keyboards need to be disinfected as well.
3. Each student should have their own pen and notebook.
4. Students and academics should remain in surgical face masks covering mouth and nose.
5. It is recommended to keep social distance

The head of the unit and the teacher in charge of the classes supervise and are responsible for the implementation and compliance with the recommendations during the teaching process and the correct use of personal protective equipment.

6. Teacher-student didactic consultations, meetings of Student Organisations.

It is recommended that all teacher-student didactic consultations and meetings take place remotely with the use of the MS Teams platform, except in situations that, due to the specificity of the meeting, require face-to-face contact. In the case of face-to-face consultations, it is necessary to follow the recommendations for teaching activities. It is recommended that Student Organizations meetings be implemented in an online form. If a face-to-face meeting is necessary, general recommendations regarding disinfection, social distance, and proper covering of the nose and mouth with protective surgical masks must be followed.

7. Residence hall

1. It is recommended to keep social distance while using the lift.
2. Lift buttons and handles should be regularly disinfected (there should be a record of disinfections, monitored by the administrator of the facility).
3. The student residence halls should be provided with hand disinfectants (recommended location: at the entrance to the building, on each floor and in the bathrooms).
4. Toilets, staircases, corridors, kitchens, and bathrooms should be disinfected regularly.
5. It is necessary for the administrator of the facility to impose an obligation to verify cleanliness.
6. It is recommended to monitor daily cleaning works, with a particular emphasis on maintaining clean passageways and disinfecting hand-touch surfaces with 70% alcohol solution: railings, door handles, light switches, keyboards, computer mouses, chair armrests and flat surfaces.
7. It is recommended to prepare a room for the isolation of students who are suspected of the SARS-CoV - 2 infection until the PCR swab test results have been obtained. In the case of a positive result of the RT-PCR test, the student shall be isolated at home, at the hospital or a designated isolation room.
8. It is recommended to reduce the number of workstations in the shared learning area - a reduction of the number of seats by half to maintain the social distance. The use of medical masks is mandatory in the shared learning area.
9. All persons working in the residence halls (concierge, locker room, cleaning service) are required to wear surgical face masks with no exception.

THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE FACILITY (RESIDENCE HALLS) IS RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPERVISION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PREMISES.

8. Library

1. The use of the library and the reading room is possible only with surgical face masks on and disposable gloves.
2. It is advisable to prepare separate workstations for individual persons and to keep social distance.
3. Disinfection of hand-touch surfaces with an alcohol-based disinfectant (over 60%).
4. Regular disinfection of toilets and staircases should be provided.
5. The employees of the library are required to wear personal protective equipment while working, at all times.
6. It is recommended to disinfect any library resources that have been used with UVC lamps.

THE RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING THE USE OF LIFTS, TOILETS, STAIRCASES AND DAILY HOUSEKEEPING ACTIVITIES ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO ALL OTHER FACILITIES WHERE TEACHING, RESEARCH OR ADMINISTRATION WORKS OF THE WROCŁAW MEDICAL UNIVERSITY IS PERFORMED.

Prepared by: Crisis Management Team