Corona and Incoming students in Germany !!!

13/3/2020

You are an international student planning to join your university in Germany in the Sommer semester 2020, which normally starts on March 2020 to April 2020. People who are already in Germany they know the situation better, but the people who are still in their Home country must be definitely sceptical about their flying to Germany, as the situation is changing on an hourly basis. If we see the number of infected people all over the world, Germany is on the 6th rank having more than 3000 confirmed cases, having 46 persons recovered and 7 losses till now. And the situation is uncertain as the growth in the number of infected is rising exponentially. Apart from panic buying of toilet papers and other canned food in the supermarket, and spreading fake information on social media, there are no strict isolation or lockdown has not been implemented yet.

Now what does it mean for Incoming students

Germany hasn't closed its border until now, so people can still travel to Germany. People who were travelling or were in highly infected countries (Italy, China, Korea, France) are being asked to observe a 14-day quarantine to avoid the infection being spread. If does that mean you have to miss your studies or exam you can present a formal document to university. Latest highly infected areas can be found on the Robert Koch Institute website. It is advised to be informed about the latest travel information for Germany on the German embassy website.

According to Robert Koch institute "The risk to the health of the population in Germany is currently assessed as moderate overall. However, this risk varies from region to region and is high in "particularly affected areas". The probability of serious disease progression increases with advancing age and in the case of pre-existing conditions. The burden on the health care system depends largely on the regional spread of the infection, the available capacities and the countermeasures are taken (isolation, quarantine, social distancing) and can be very high locally. This assessment may change in the short term as a result of new findings".

So if you fall under the suspected case of Coronavirus, you will be monitored by the responsible authorities upon arrival in Germany. It can be any means of entering in Germany. The best thing would be to consult the university international office about the latest status related to Corona Epidemie. The most university website has sent emails to inform as well as posted on the Home page of their websites. The universities which didn't begin yet, have postponed the semester start one month later, some universities which had earlier start are waiting for the official confirmation from state authorities, but you are not obliged to attend the universities and are advised to avoid the gatherings as well as take care of your hygiene. Virtual format of learning and meeting are proposed whenever possible.

For the International students or students who will soon be coming to Germany to study should enquire directly at their university about the current situation at their university location as per the advice from DAAD.

Preventative measures: (recommended by the Federal Centre for Health Education)

Good hand hygiene, cough and sneeze etiquette, appropriate distance to sick persons (1-2m).
Influenza leads to symptoms similar to that of the Coronavirus. It is recommended to get vaccinated against influenza with the current vaccination used in the Northern hemisphere. Independently of the personal protective effect, getting vaccinated helps to avoid unnecessary suspected cases and overload of health institutions. It is recommended to also check your general vaccination status.
If a person suffering from acute respiratory infections is in the public sphere, it can be reasonable for this person to wear a nose-mouth-protection in order to decrease the risk of contraction (protecting others). There is insufficient evidence that wearing a nose-mouth-protection decreases the risk of infection for a healthy person wearing it (no self-protection). According to the World Health Organization, wearing a mask in situations where this is not recommended may lead to a false sense of security. This can lead to other essential hygiene measures being neglected, such as good hand hygiene.
If you would like to talk to someone, we encourage you to engage with the psychosocial and psychological services.

Below I have listed some trusted resources and some university websites from different regions in Germany, It would be helpful to take the decision. It's strongly advised if it's avoidable than don't travel for the time being. At this time one can hope for the best response from the government and the society together to fight back the coronavirus.

More Information on Corona...

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