Welcome back on campus

Please note: As of 11 October 2021, tests will no longer be provided free of charge in Germany, even for students. The following exceptions apply:

• Students who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons (a medical certificate to this effect is required)
• International students who have been vaccinated with a vaccine that is not approved in the EU and cannot receive another vaccine

To reduce the risk of coronavirus transmission, especially to people who cannot be vaccinated, please be sure to limit the time you spend in the HAW Hamburg buildings as much as possible.

Check-in
Just like at a cafe, movie theatre or restaurant, students are required to check in before entering laboratories, lecture halls, and seminar, course or study rooms. This will enable contact tracing. HAW Hamburg uses the 'darfichrein.de' app, which works exactly like the Luca app or the Corona-Warn-App: Just scan the QR code at the entry to the room. It is important to also check out again when the course is over. Printed contact lists are available for anyone who doesn't have a smartphone.

Please note: The instructors in the individual degree courses decide whether or not the courses will take place on campus, online or as a hybrid of the two. You can find this information in the course timetables, which are posted on the degree course pages.

Libraries
The libraries are now open to more people again – both for literature searches and for the use of study rooms. The entry requirements are the same as those for courses. This means physical distancing, hygiene measures and wearing a mask, together with the 3G rule and check-in using the 'darfichrein.de' app.

The time allocated for literature searches in the libraries is limited to 30 minutes per person. Students who want to use the libary's study spaces need to register in advance. You can find more detailed information and the opening hours on the HAW Hamburg libraries page .

Cafeterias (Mensas) and cafes
Most of the cafeterias and cafes on the various campuses are also scheduled to reopen on 4 October. The hygiene concepts and the opening hours for each cafeteria are provided on the Studierendenwerk  website.

Vaccination
Getting vaccinated against the coronavirus is the best way to protect yourself and others from the virus. In Hamburg there are both mobile and stationary vaccination locations where students can go to be vaccinated quickly and easily with the BioNTec/Pfizer or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.

Vaccination tip: On 14 October, additional mobile vaccination stations will be set up at the Bergedorf, Finkenau and Berliner Tor campuses. More detailed information about registering for an appointment will be posted soon. This offer is open to students, employees and residents from the direct neighbourhood.

For instructors and employees

Requirements for entering the buildings
The 3G rule does not apply to HAW Hamburg employees, unless they have teaching duties and are holding courses or exams. All employees are required to wear a medical mask in the buildings and maintain a physical distance of 1.5 metres from others.

Because individuals who are vaccinated or recovered can still infect others with the coronavirus, it is recommended that all employees who are on campus continue to carry out self-tests. The rapid antigen self-tests are provided free of charge by the university.

By the way: Tests and masks can still be picked up from the mail room at Berliner Tor 5. To ensure that all colleagues can access the tests and masks, these should be placed in an agreed-upon and easily accessible location in the team's offices.

During lectures and other teaching sessions
Like students, professors and instructors are subject to the 3G rule and are required to check in to enable contact tracing. Additionally, instructors are required to ensure that the physical distancing and mask-wearing requirements are observed in the course rooms. They are exempted from the requirement to wear a mask during teaching. Because the buildings are currently not outfitted with technical ventilation systems, the rooms should be aired out with the windows wide open several times per hour.

Back to the real office or home office?
The possibility to work from home, which has been in place since the beginning of the pandemic and is included in the internal agreement on alternative workplaces, continues to be in place until the end of 2021. However, many employees who are now vaccinated or recovered would like to return to the university.

In this case the following rules apply:

• Offices can still only be used by one person at a time.
• Multiple occupancy of offices is only permitted when it is absolutely necessary, the room is aired regularly and the physical distancing requirements can be consistently maintained.
• In cases of multiple occupancy, a medical mask must be worn at all times.

Vaccination
Why should I get vaccinated? Are the vaccines safe? Employees who are uncertain about whether they should get vaccinated can make an appointment for a personal consultation with Hamburg’s occupational health service (Arbeitsmedizinischer Dienst).

By the way: The current occupational safety ordinance on the coronavirus from 10 September 2021 stipulates that employees can be vaccinated during working hours and that the time required to do this counts as hours worked.

For everyone

By looking out for one another and thanks to our concerted efforts, the university has managed to avoid any large coronavirus outbreaks during the pandemic. As more students and employees return to campus, fair and respectful interaction will be paramount.

Up-to-date information for  students and employees is available on the Coronavirus Update page.