NEW recommendations on the infection prevention in summer semester

(31.03.2021)

Recommendations for students and employees of the Wrocław Medical University concerning the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection for the Summer semester 2021. Wrocław; 29 March 2021

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

 

VACCINATION DOES NOT MEAN AN EXEMPTION FROM THE OBLIGATION TO
BE RESPONSIBLE FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS AND TO OBSERVE BASIC HEALTH AND SAFETY REGULATIONS

 

ATTENTION

Please ensure that students do not crowd in the locker rooms and do not gather in large groups in hallways. A distance of 1.5 m is obligatory and it is absolutely necessary to cover the mouth and nose with a medical mask. It is recommended that students follow the above-mentioned rules of their own accord.

Eating meals in groups during breaks is strictly prohibited.

 

Vaccination does not mean an exemption from the obligation to follow, by the students and the personnel, the university's infection control procedure, link: HERE

 

Clinical and practical classes – Faculty of Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmaceutical Faculty and Faculty of Health Sciences

  1. Before each block of classes, students are obliged (repeated action) to read educational materials concerning the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection; and the person conducting the classes is obliged to verify the knowledge before the beginning of the classes. Only persons familiar with the principles of prevention of SARS-CoV-2 infection are allowed to participate in clinical classes.
  2. Only healthy persons are allowed to participate in the classes - persons who do not have any symptoms of an infectious disease such as: increased body temperature, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, smell and taste disorders, sore throat, chest pain, diarrhea and who do not currently take any antipyretic drugs and/or anti-inflammatory drugs for fever and/or infection.
  3. It is not allowed to participate in the classes in the following cases: persons who are subject to the quarantine or home isolation and who have had contact with a person infected with SARS-CoV-2 within the past 14 days, who share the dwelling with a person subject to home isolation and who have not been vaccinated.

NOTE: ANY PERSON EXHIBITING THE ABOVE-MENTIONED SYMPTOMS IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED FROM PARTICIPATION IN CLASSES.

 

The quarantine does not apply to the convalescents up to 6 months after recovering from COVID-19 disease and to persons who have received a full vaccination against COVID-19 (Regulation of the Council of Ministers of 19 March 2021)

At the beginning of the semester, students sign a one-time declaration that they meet the requirements for participation in the classes and that they have read and agree to abide by the educational materials and recommendations posted on the website of the Wrocław Medical University. Until the appropriate application is prepared, the signed declarations shall be handed over to the representative of the student’s group.

 

Units, where practical classes should not take place:

  1. red zones in hospitals,
  2. ED except for Medical Rescue students and 6th-year students at the Medical Faculty,
  3. infectious diseases wards – Provincial Specialist Hospital at ul. Koszarowa in Wrocław), where the majority of patients are persons with Covid-19,
  4. Infectious Diseases Clinic at ul. Chałubińskiego,
  5. Haematology wards: for adults and children,
  6. All other parts of the UCH wards, where COVID-19 patients are hospitalised,
  7. Whenever there is a risk of suspicion or infection of SARS-COV-2.

Preparation of students for participation in practical or clinical classes – Faculty of Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmacy and Health Sciences

  1. Medical surgical mask;
  2. Workwear (medical uniform + disposable interlining clothing);
  3. Disposable gloves;
  4. Face shield (if a student or employee wishes to increase the security comfort)
  5. Hand disinfectant

In the case of procedures with aerosol generation, as well as during classes at the Academic Dental Polyclinic (contact with the patient's mouth).

PPE protecting from the airborne and air-dust transmission

  1. FFP2 filtering half-masks;
  2. Workwear (medical uniform + disposable interlining clothing);
  3. Disposable gloves (it is advised to consider the double-gloving technique);
  4. Face shield

 

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 implementation of the teaching process and the correct use of personal protective equipment.

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

 

Theoretical classes, lectures, seminars, non-clinical classes, foreign language courses, anatomy, physiology, pathology, CSM and laboratories for nursing simulation and paramedics - Faculty of Medicine, Medicine and Dentistry, Pharmacy and Health Sciences

  1. Maintaining a distance of 1.5 metres between the participants of the classes.
  2. Medical surgical masks are mandarory , covering the mouth and nose
  3. Disposable gloves, if required by the specific nature of the activity, in case of contact with a patient or infectious biological material.
  4. Access to hand disinfectants and/or a possibility to wash hands.
  5. 45-minute classes with a 15-minute break to ventilate the room.
  6. Disinfection of hand-touch surfaces after each group – with an alcohol-based disinfectant (over 60%);
  7. If possible, physical barriers (glass or plastic screens) shall be used.
  8. Additionally, it is necessary to control the students' traffic and the use of the locker rooms as in the case of theoretical exams: disinfecting the locker rooms and sanitary units after each group of students.

Deans are obliged to appoint persons responsible for supervising the students' traffic and the presence of students in common areas: locker rooms, hallway.

  1. Computer rooms, technical laboratories for simulated activities:

 

  1. A hand disinfectant should be available in the room – students are required to disinfect their hands before working with a computer.
  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. It is recommended to ventilate the room every 45 minutes for 5 minutes.
  5. Students and academics should remain in surgical face masks and use them properly (change the mask after it becomes damp, covering the nose and mouth).
  6. Obligation to conduct classes while keeping a social distance (1.5 m distance between people).

 

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 Teams platform with the camera turned on, except in situations that, due to the specificity of the meeting, require face-to-face contact. In the case of face-to-face consultations, all parties must agree to take part in the meeting and shall set a date.

Residence hall

  1. Reduction of the number of students in the rooms (up to 2 persons) should be considered.
  2. Limitation of the use of the lift (except for special circumstances, where after consulting with the facility administrator, 2 persons are allowed to use the lift simultaneously). Such persons should stand as far apart from each other as possible and wear mouth and nose protection.
  3. Lift buttons and handles should be regularly disinfected (there should be a record of disinfections, monitored by the administrator of the facility).
  4. Near the lifts, it is recommended to place information (bilingual) regarding restrictions on the use of the lifts only for health reasons or for the transport of heavy equipment, on the maximum number of users, as well as the obligation to cover the mouth and nose when there are two, or more, persons in the lift.
  5. 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).
  6. Toilets, staircases, corridors, kitchens, and bathrooms should be disinfected regularly.
  7. The number of people in one bathroom needs to be limited, and a notice concerning the maximum number of people inside should be placed on the front door.

The number of persons occupying the bathroom at the same time should be half the number of toilets and/or shower cubicles.

  1. It is necessary for the administrator of the facility to impose an obligation to verify cleanliness.
  2. 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.
  3. It is advisable to create separate regulations on how to proceed in connection with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

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.

  1. 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 (1.5m). The use of medical masks is mandatory in the shared learning area.

(12) It is recommended to use barriers (plexiglass boards) to separate individual workstations.

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.

 

Library

  1. The use of the library and the reading room is possible only with surgical face masks on and disposable gloves. Until 15 April 2021, public and scientific libraries may provide access to their collections on condition that no more than 1 person per 15 m2 is present in such a room at the same time, excluding the librarians. At the entrance of the library, there shall be information placed on the occupancy limit and measures shall be taken to ensure compliance with the above.
  2. It is advisable to prepare separate workstations for individual persons with a recommended distance (1.5 m social distance in each direction).
  3. Reduction in the number of seats, tables in the reading room, by half.
  4. It is recommended to use barriers (plexiglass board) to separate individual workstations for safe use.
  5. Disinfection of hand-touch surfaces after each group – with an alcohol-based disinfectant (over 60%).
  6. Regular disinfection of toilets and staircases should be provided.
  7. The employees of the library are required to wear personal protective equipment while working, at all times.
  8. 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