Executive Department for
Press, Communication and Marketing
Adolf-Reichwein-Straße 2a Gebäude AVZ (Gebäudeteil AR-NA) 57068 Siegen
Phone:    +49 (0)271/740-4915 Fax.:    +49 (0)271/740-4911 E-Mail:  presse@uni-siegen.de
Coronavirus: The University of Siegen is taking precautions
Here you will find current information and recommendations on how to deal with this novel type of virus.
Since the end of February, the novel Coronavirus has spread in Germany and several cases in different German states - including North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) have been confirmed. "We are at the beginning of a corona epidemic in Germany," Federal Health Minister Jens Spahn said on February 26th, 2020. The University of Siegen is reacting to these developments and has taken precautionary measures.
What measures is the University taking?
- The University has set up a response team of experts who meet daily, assess the current situation and can make quick decisions. The University will provide information on all available channels (e-mail, homepage, social media channels, posters).
- The University strongly advises against business trips of employees to the affected risk areas. According to the Robert Koch Institute (as of March 02, 2020), these are: China (Hubei Province including the city of Wuhan and the cities of Wenzhou, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Taizhou in Zhejiang Province), Iran (Ghom Province), Italy (Emilia-Romagna, Lombardy Region and the city of Vo in Padua Province in the Veneto Region) and South Korea (Gyeongsangbuk-do Province (North Gyeongsang)).The University strongly recommends not to travel to these areas privately and to postpone planned trips. The current risk areas can be found on this website of the Robert Koch Institute.
- The University asks all people travelling to Germany from risk areas not to enter the campus premises of the University for 14 days. This also applies to people, who have been in contact with people who have contracted the Coronavirus during the past 14 days.
Whom can I contact within the University of Siegen?
If you have contracted the Coronavirus, please contact the Department of Occupational Health and Safety (Department 1) immediately, telephone 0271/ 740 3311 or via e-mail: ralf.schmelzer@zv.uni-siegen.de
Please also notify your supervisor.
If you have travelled to Germany from one of the risk areas during the past 14 days or have been in contact with infected people, you should contact your family doctor / Department of Public Health by telephone to discuss the further procedure.
Please stay away from the campus premises of the University of Siegen for 14 days.
Contact your supervisor to determine individually whether you can carry out your task from home (home office).
How can I protect myself?
The University asks that you follow the recommendations of the Federal Centre for Health Education on the prevention of infections (Web link: www.infektionsschutz.de, in German only). This includes personal hygiene (washing your hands regularly and thoroughly). If possible, keeping a distance of at least one meter from coughing and sneezing people.
Where can I get information?
- The University of Siegen provides information on symptoms, hygiene measures etc. (in German only). This information can be found here.
- The Federal Foreign Office provides travel and safety advice (in German only). This information can be found here.
- The Federal Ministry of Health provides information on the Coronavirus (in German only). This information can be found here.
- The Robert Koch Institute provides current information (in German only, this information can be found here), a list with "questions and answers" (in German only, this information can be found here) and a list of risk areas (in German only, this information can be found here). English version of the homepage.
- The Federal Centre for Health Education provides answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the novel coronavirus, including information on infection protection and hygiene recommendations (in German only). This information can be found here.
The district’s Department of Public Health, the emergency services and the hospitals in the county of Siegen-Wittgenstein have prepared for possible occurrences of the Coronavirus. The central contact point for patients suspected of being infected with the novel virus is the District Hospital in Siegen-Weidenau (Kreisklinikum).