Dear CECAD members,

Please note that some Corona hygiene regulations are still valid and have to be observed, they are provided in the attachment. Please be reminded:

- When having symptoms that may suggest COVID infections, please STAY at home.
- Do wear a mouse-nose protection whenever required and keep the distance
- medical masks are mandatory in corridors, public rooms and in places/rooms with more than one person
- FFP2 masks are mandatory in internal meetings
- Medical masks are mandatory at events with external persons, FFP2 masks are recommended
- Common equipment/machines that are used by several people must be cleaned regularly
- Further Information about regulations for business trips and travelling is provided in the attachment
- Employees, who are under quarantine, must inform their PI or team leader, the CECAD Office (cecad-questions[at]uni-koeln.de) and kpm team (kpm-covid19[at]uk-koeln.de).
Thank you for supporting us in keeping CECAD a safe place to work, stay healthy and enjoy your summer holidays!

Very best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer, Carien Niessen, Sibylle Grandel

Dear CECAD members,

Please find attached updates on now valid corona measures at CECAD based on the changes of the official corona regulations by the state and NRW:

1) General rules
2) Test rules for employees
3) Provision of information about 3G status when working in presence
4) Performance of events at CECAD

Thank you for supporting us in keeping CECAD a safe place to work and stay healthy!

Very best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer, Carien Niessen, Sibylle Grandel

Dear CECAD members,

According to the changed Corona-Test-und Quarantine Regulation in NRW (valid since 4.3.22) a few measures regarding isolation and quarantine testing have been changed, which are highlighted in attachment.

In addition, we want to remind all employees of the University Hospital (NOT valid for employees of the University) about the obligation to document their 3G status in the saneway softwareby March 15^th. You should have received a personal email with further information. If not, please let us know.

Thank you for supporting us in keeping CECAD a safe place to work and stay healthy!

Very best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer, Carien Niessen, Sibylle Grandel

Dear CECAD members,

The numbers of infected persons in Cologne have been exploded in the last 2 days, likely due to carnival. The management of the University Hospital fears that the operation of the University Hospital is seriously endangered due to the high number of infected physicians and other hospital workers. As CECAD is part of the university clinic campus and several MDs also regularly work in our building that also work in the clinic, it is absolutely essential to maintain the hygiene concept to prevent infections within our building.

We thus want to stress, that the general hygiene regulations have to be observed:  

-          Do wear FFP2 masks (not medical masks) whenever required and keep the distance

-          Masks (medical masks) are mandatory in corridors, public rooms and in places/rooms with more than one person

-          You need to wear a mask in the lab  

-          Do avoid meetings, without wearing masks (do not have lunch in groups, etc.)

-          When having symptoms that may suggest COVID infections, STAY at home as antigen tests can be negative initially even with symptoms.

-          If employees are under quarantine, you must inform their PI or team leader, the CECAD Office (cecad-questions[at]uni-koeln.de) and kpm team (kpm-covid19[at]uk-koeln.de).

-          Common equipment/machines that are used by several people must be cleaned regularly

We appeal to you to follow these regulations to prevent a further spread of the virus also at CECAD, where the number of positive tested persons also increased considerably compared to the last weeks.  

Thank you for supporting us in keeping CECAD a safe place to work and stay healthy!

Very best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer, Carien Niessen, Sibylle Grandel

On behalf of Bernhard Schermer & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,

The University Hospital has slightly adapted its procedures for quarantine and testing of infected and contact persons, you find the updates in the document attached.
All other measures remain unchanged. 

Thank you for supporting us in keeping CECAD a safe place to work and stay healthy!

Very best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer, Carien Niessen

On behalf of Bernhard Schermer & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,

Due to the current rising infection numbers and in order to prevent/delay further infections, the University Hospital has changed some of its general regulations.

Furthermore, you will find an update of the currently valid testing and quarantine regulations in the document attached.

Have a nice weekend & best wishes,
Bernhard Schermer (new Managing Director of CECAD) & Carien Niessen

On behalf of Carien Niessen and Thorsten Hoppe

Dear CECAD members,

Please be informed about one change of the University Hospital for the employee testing procedures, which concerns the measures/procedure when you received a red corona-app alert:

In the case of an unprotected contact which cannot be remembered, NO PCR test is from now on required until further notice. Further information about required measures for this case is provided in the attachment.

Best wishes and have a nice weekend,
Sibylle Grandel

Dear CECAD members,

We wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous new year and hope you had a great start into the new year and relaxing holidays!
  
Due to the latest Corona/Omikron developments the University Hospital has adapted its measures, which are valid until further notice when working at CECAD. 
Please find in the attachment also information about the current quarantine regulations, when returning from abroad, which might change during this week due to the expected changes in the Corono-Schutzverordung of North-Rhine Westfalia. We will keep you updated.

Best wishes,
Carien Niessen & Thorsten Hoppe

Dear CECAD members,
We received now more detailed information from the UKK and UzK on measures that need to be implemented as stipulated in the “Infektionsschutzgesetz” (“Infection protection law”), which is valid from today on. Below a summary of those that directly affect CECAD:
Mandatory 3G at the workplace – valid from today on:
Access to the CECAD building and the premises of the UzK and UKK is allowed from 24.11.2021 only for employees with vaccination, recovered (convalescent) or test proof (3G proof).
− All employees are responsible for ensuring that they carry and are able to present valid 3G proof when on UKK or University campus, also outside of the CECAD building
− If the status as vaccinated or recovered cannot be proven, the presentation of an official and registered negative test (not a home self-test) is a prerequisite to access the work place, in our case CECAD. Antigen tests need to be done on a daily basis, PCR tests are valid for 48 hours (3x times a week). Potential costs for tests are carried by the employee.
! Superiors are responsible for checking this proof!
− Anyone who fails to comply with these measures will not be able to enter the workplace and has to leave the UKK/university campus, and may result in a reduction in wages.
− The employer has to officially check and document once the status of those that are vaccinated, this will be organized by the group leaders/PIs.
Importantly, not complying with the 3G rules can result in high fines for both employer (PI) and employee.
Due to the feedback from the porters, we also want to remind you on the rule, that the use of elevators in the CECAD building is only allowed for a max. 2 of persons, regardless of their vaccination status.
Further implications of the new Infektionsschutzgesetz are currently discussed and as soon as we have more information/instructions of the University and UKK, we will update you.
Best wishes,
Carien Niessen & Thorsten Hoppe

On behalf of Carien Niessen & Thorsten Hoppe

Dear CECAD members,

Even if the vaccination rate is very high among UKK and CECAD employees, the current steep increase in COVID and the accompanying pressure on the hospitals has led to new measures from the government and the University Hospital. The attachment gives a summary of those that directly affect CECAD which concern mainly the new 3G regulation to be at CECAD.

Best wishes,
Sibylle Grandel

Dear CECAD members,

As all of you are aware COVID cases are increasing rapidly, including in the hospital. As also vaccinated people can spread the infection, we urge everyone to get tested when in contact with a positive person, wear a mask when other people are around. Please stay at home when you have any covid-like symptoms, and get tested and only return to work with a negative PCR test result. In case of a positive test, contact the KPM and the CECAD Office (cecad-questions[at]uni-koeln.de) to get instructions for what to do.

These rules have allowed us to prevent spreading at CECAD, and minimize the chance of severe disease, and keep the Institute and laboratories open. 

Importantly, the intensity level is upgraded to level 2 at the University Hospital. As we are on their campus, the rules associated with level 2 thus directly apply to us.

The measures and implications connected to intensity level 2 are outlined in the detail in the attachment.

Please do not hesitate to contact us in case of questions and take care!

Best wishes,
Carien Niessen and Thorsten Hoppe

Dear CECAD members,

Please be reminded on important measures to keep CECAD a safe working place.  

Currently, the intensity level is 1.

• If you suffer from symptoms such as headache or aching limbs, loss of smell or taste, fever, cough, sore throat or cold DO NOT come to work. Get in touch with your superior to clarify if you should provide a negative test before you start working again. 

Where to get tested?
People working at CECAD can go to the Infection Protection Center of the University Hospital (at the corner Joseph-Stelzmann-Straße / Kerpener Str. - Geb. 80) 

• Wearing of masks (medical masks) is still absolutely mandatory in the entire building.
• Meetings should be online, please do meet only in person if this is necessary and not possible otherwise.
• Due to the rapidly increasing numbers of Corona infections the EB decided not to allow Christmas Parties in the CECAD building.

Dear CECAD members,

Please find a brief update of the changes on the Corona regulations when working at CECAD, which are valid until further notice.
Except for the safety regulations in active laboratory spaces (unchanged), rules and measures including occupancies of rooms (office, seminar rooms etc.) in the CECAD building are based now on the intensity level scale that has been put in place by the University Hospital.
Currently, the intensity level is 1.

Dear CECAD members,

Please find attached information about updated regulations to be followed when returning from travels and for meetings in presence.

We wish you a relaxing summer and holiday season – stay healthy!

Thank you very much and very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,
Recent updates of the regulations of the Federal Government and the State of NRW as well as current low incidence levels will open possibilities for more presence in teaching and research during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We already received news from the University Hospital about this, but want to await further information by the University. Till then the current regulations on meetings, etc. in the CECAD building remain unchanged!
We hope to provide more information soon. 

Holiday Traveling
Please note that in terms of bans and quarantine regulations after returning from abroad the regulations of the University Hospital are valid for all people working at CECAD, despite their employment.
For your summer vacation planning, we kindly ask you to check whether it is safe to travel to your chosen destination. It is requested that you do not travel to areas that have already been designated by the RKI as a risk area, high incidence area or virus variant area at the time of your departure.
Please check regularly the intranet to get information about quarantine regulations, which migh be valid for you at your return.
https://intranet.uk-koeln.de/unternehmensbereiche/bereiche-vertretungen/krankenhaushygiene/coronavirus/faq#c6263

We wish you a nice weekend and a relaxing holiday season.

Best,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,
The good news is that we successfully organized the vaccination program for all CECAD employees, and most have already received their first shot! We appreciate very much the support and cooperation of the University Hospital and thank everyone who was involved in making this possible.
However, the entire University still insist that everyone strictly follows the general hygiene and safety regulations. 
 
Please note: The following remains unchanged
−    It remains absolutely necessary and is regardless of your vaccination status to
•    consistently wear a medical mouth-nose protection or an FFP-2 mask on the medical campus,
•    to keep your distance and
•    to ensure regular ventilation of the premises on the campus of the University Hospital Cologne and the University.
−    Employees with symptoms of illness who are indicative of or compatible with a coronavirus infection must not come into work and continue to report to the Contact Person Management (KPM) as a first step. In close consultation with the KPM it will then be decided whether a PCR test needs to occur at the Infection Control Center. Employees who have had a private or professional risk contact are asked to proactively report to the KPM in any case and stay at home until a decision can be made on the basis of PCR test. Only with the negative result of a PCR test from the Infection Protection Center may work continue.
−    With respect to meetings in presence, the regulations of the University Hospital are valid for the CECAD building and people working at CECAD. Until further notice, only events that are absolutely necessary to maintain internal operations and that cannot be reasonably conducted in online format are to be held as face-to-face meetings

Traveling
Please note that in terms of bans and quarantine regulations after returning from abroad the regulations of the University Hospital are valid for all people working at CECAD, despite their employment.  
For your summer vacation planning, we kindly ask you to check whether it is safe to travel to your chosen destination. It is requested that you do not travel to areas that have already been designated by the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) as a risk area, high incidence area or virus variant area at the time of your departure. 1
According to the new Coronavirus Entry Regulation – Corona EinreiseV (valid since May 12, 2021 until June 30, 2021) 

−    for travelers returning from risk areas and high incidence areas, a 10-day
quarantine obligation after return applies in principle. Potential exceptions are described in detail on the UKK intranet 2
−    All travelers returning from virus-variant areas, regardless of vaccination or recovered status, must stay in quarantine for 14 days after return, with no early exemption. This is currently valid for India and the UK.

Teaching (valid since May 14, 2021)
Due to the lowered incidence values, some corona regulations for the summer term 2021 are changed. Main changes are: 

-    Classroom attendance for first semester students of SoSe21 and WiSe 20/21 is permitted again.
-    The USB will offer working places for students again from May 25 onwards.

All measures are subject to compliance with the known hygiene rules.  
The university management asks that the opportunities for relaxation be used with great care. For more information, please see document attached.
 
Thank you very much and very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

^{1 The RKI defines the following:
Risk areas - areas with increased risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
High incidence areas - areas with a particularly high risk of infection due to particularly high incidences for the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus
Virus variant areas - areas with a particularly high risk of infection due to widespread occurrence of certain SARS-CoV-2 virus variants.}

2 intranet.uk-koeln.de/unternehmensbereiche/bereiche-vertretungen/krankenhaushygiene/coronavirus/faq

Dear CECAD members,
From this week on, employers are obligated under the new Corona Occupational Health and Safety Ordinance to offer its employees employees Corona rapid tests once or twice a week for those who do not work exclusively in home office.   
Places where you can get a RAPID TEST

1)    Employees of the University Hospital Cologne have the opportunity to have a rapid antigen test done at the Infection Protection Center in building 11 from Monday to Friday between 09:00 and 11:00. These tests can be performed during working hours. However, no test certificate will be issued for private use.
2)    For university employees the university asks all employees and students to take advantage of the offer for one free rapid test per week (so-called citizen testing) for German residents on a regular basis.
These citizen tests can be carried out directly on campus at the Medicare test centre of STAY SAFE GmbH. The test centre is located on the ground floor of the New Seminar Building (Neues Seminargebäude, Gebäude 106).  To get tested, please book an appointment for a free citizen test in advance on the following website: https://www.covid-testzentrum.de/koeln-uni

For employees, the test centre visit counts as worktime of up to 30 minutes, and supervisors must allow employees to take the test. It should be noted, however, that according to information from the Unfallkasse NRW (North Rhine-Westphalia Accident Insurance Fund), there is probably no statutory accident insurance protection for travels to and from the test centre (meaning the employer’s assurance should pay when you get an accident going to there or back to work), but rather your regular health insurance covers this.

SELF-TESTS provided for groups associated with the Natural Science Faculty
The state of North Rhine-Westphalia is successively making a weekly self-test available to the University’s employees who are currently working in attendance for official reasons. The self-tests will be distributed ONLY to the work groups associated to the Natural Science Faculty. Further information is provided in a separate email. 

Please note: The following remains unchanged

−    It remains absolutely necessary under all circumstances and regardless of a negative antigen test result! to (a) consistently wear a medical mouth-nose protection or a FFP-2 mask, (b) to keep your distance and (c) to ensure regular ventilation of the premises on the campus of the University Hospital Cologne and the University.
−    Employees with symptoms of illness that are indicative of or compatible with a coronavirus infection must continue to report to the Contact Person Management (KPM) as a first step and not come into work. In close consultation with the KPM it will then be decided whether a PCR test needs to occur at the Infection Control Center. Employees who have had a private or professional risk contact are asked to proactively report to the KPM in any case and stay at home until a decision can be made on the basis of PCR test. . Only with the negative result of a PCR test from the Infection Protection Center may work continue.

We very much appreciate your patience and your continuous support to keep the CECAD Research Center open for work and a safe place to work.  
Thank you very much and very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,
For those of you who have not heard yet, due to the dramatic increase in the number of  SARS- infected people, and perhaps more importantly, the fact that there are almost no intensive care beds available anymore in the city of Cologne, the city councel decided to put a curfew in place starting tonight at 12:00 am.  What does it mean?

Those without any reason cannot be out on the street between 9 pm at night and 5 am in the morning. The reasons are stipulated in German on the website of the city and we briefly translated those below this email. Also see:

www.stadt-koeln.de/artikel/71020/index.html

In an email send around this afternoon, the university did ask to limit work in laboratories as much as you can. We therefore ask you to please only come in when experiments require this, and please keep socializing to the absolute minimum.  
We will update and inform you as soon as we have more information including more from the University Hospital.  
If you have any questions please address to: cecad-questions@uni-koeln.de 

Thank you for helping to stop the spreading of the virus, and for keeping CECAD a safe place to work. 

Thorsten, and Carien

Curfew Message by City of Cologne

Dear CECAD members,
 
Please find below important recent news and further information about current Corona measures of the University concerning the start of the summer term. The University and University Hospital assess the political and regulative situation on an ongoing basis and communicate anything appropriate at a sufficiently early stage.
 
Extension of the hygiene and protection guideline in revised version
The rectorate has agreed to an extension of a revised version of the hygiene and protection guideline. Accordingly:
- Already applied restrictions on attendance, research and administration will remain in place.
- State and federal regulations that go beyond the provisions of the guidelines, will continue to take precedence. We will keep you informed, if this happens.

Rapid test center opens on university campus as of April 12
A rapid test center (by a private operator) will be established on the university campus (Neues Seminar Gebäude). This test center is part of the municipal test infrastructure, where a citizens' test, free of charge („Kostenlose Bürgertests“), can be booked (website is under construction). In case of a positive test result, the mandatory PCR control test can also be performed there. The rapid test center is an additional offer for those employees who work in presence.
- The rectorate emphasizes that this test offer is not intended to increase physical presence on the campus. Home office will remain the standard until further notice.
- In addition, all hygiene and protection measures will continue to apply despite a negative test result.
- The rectorate is ready in talks with the staff representatives in order to settle issues, such as the recognition of working hours, for the rapid test center. You will be informed as soon as possible.
- Please note: If you have new symptoms associated with a coronavirus infection, you are not allowed to come to work - even if an independently performed rapid antigen test shows a negative result. Anyone showing symptoms of illness should immediately have a PCR test for SARS-CoV-2 performed at the Infection Prevention Center.

Start of summer term April 12, 2021
The lecture period of the summer semester will start on April 12. Due to the unclear development of the pandemic, the university follows the strategy of a flexible hybrid semester and has agreed on the following regulations for classroom teaching and learning, which will initially apply until 21 May 2021 (the Friday before Pentecost):
- Face-to-face teaching courses are until 21 May 2021 only permitted in individual cases if they cannot either be held without attendance or postponed without serious disadvantages for the students. A maximum of 50 people is allowed to participate in face-to-face teaching courses.
- Face-to-face examinations are until 21 May 2021 only permitted if they cannot be rescheduled for legal or factual reasons or if a rescheduling is not reasonable for the examinees.
The faculties and central institutions will be informed in parallel about the criteria. They are asked to check promptly which courses fall under these criteria and can therefore take place in attendance, and to inform the participants accordingly.
For every face-to-face event at the university, the requirements and specifications of the university's hygiene and protection guideline for premises and hygiene measures must be observed throughout; in addition, all participants must wear medical masks and contact-tracing must be ensured.

Thank you very much for your continuous support to keep the CECAD Research Center open for work and a safe place to work.
 
Very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,

On 3 March, the federal and state governments agreed to continue the lockdown until 28 March. As a result of this, measures at the university and CECAD will be continued:

Extension of the Corona Work Protection Ordinance
The Federal Corona Work Protection Ordinance (Coronaarbeitsschutzverordnung) will be extended to 30 April 2021. The University is therefore maintaining its current regulations in this area unchanged. As before, superiors are thus required to allow employees to work from home, provided there are no compelling official reasons to the contrary.  It is still necessary to continue to document the reasons for coming into work (has been done on an institutional level for CECAD).

The existing occupational health and safety regulations, such as contact reduction, the obligation to wear medical masks and keep the distance and the specifications for room use by several persons, also remain valid.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE
All HYGEINE MEASURES APPLY TO EVERYONE REGARDLESS OF YOUR VACCINATION STATUS. People who do not comply to these measures will be refused to enter the CECAD building.

Thank you very much for your continuous support to keep the CECAD Research Center open for work and a safe place to work.

Very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen
 

Dear CECAD members,

The rules from January 22nd were updated by the university and the university hospital according to the federal Work Protection Regulation, applied since 28.1. -15.3.2021.  
The additional requirements for CECAD PIs/heads and employees are summarized below:
NEW:
Usage of labs, workshops, etc. with several persons
The federal Work Protection Regulation now also applies to laboratories, workshops, etc., as well as to examinations in presence. From now on, such rooms can only be used by more than one person if an area of 10 m2 per person is provided.  
Deviations from the 10 m² rule are permissible if the same level of safety is ensured in another way (e.g. airing, partitioning walls, wearing FFP2 masks). This must be documented and verified for each individual case.  
Please note: For offices and workrooms, the already valid university regulations define that 12.5 m² have to be provided. A minimum distance of 1.5 m is still mandatory.  
Corona risk assessment (GBU) – ONLY valid for groups associated to the natural science faculty In accordance with the requirements of the Work Protection Regulation, the existing risk assessments (GBU) must be updated and the implementation of the Regulation must be documented (§ 2 (1)).

−    PIs/heads associated to the natural science faculty are asked you to do this asap. The department 02.2 - Occupational Safety and Environmental Protection provides a new template of the risk assessment in which the existing aspects have been supplemented by these new points. The template is attached, you can also find it under (https://verwaltung.uni-koeln.de/stabsstelle02.2/content/themenseite_corona_virus/ergaenzende_gefaehrdungsbeur teilung_corona_virus/index_ger.html). Support is provided by department 02.2.
−    Please send the corrected version of your corona risk assessment to: mnf-praesenzarbeit@uni-koeln.de.
−    For further information see also the letter from the rector, which has been attached in the original German version and a translated English version.
−    Please note: We got so far no information from the University Hospital that PIs/Heads associated to the medical faculty are asked to update their corona specific risk assessment. Nevertheless, the rules stated here are also valid for these groups.

PLEASE NOTE:

In contrast to specifications for the university campus - hand-made/cloth face masks are not allowed anymore within the CECAD building or on the campus of the University Hospital!  
The Work Protection Regulation can be viewed at:

www.bmas.de/DE/Service/Gesetze/sars-cov-2- arbeitsschutzverordnung.html.

Dear CECAD members,

Yesterday, the federal and state governments decided on additional nation-wide Corona measures. These new regulations, next to those already in place, will at least be in effect until February 14, 2021.
For our non-native speakers we have summarized the key points below.
We have received first information from the UKK today, how the new rules may further affect working at CECAD. As soon as all other instructions are clear, we will further inform you.

Brief summary of new government rules (selection):

1. Homeoffice: Until March 15, 2021, employers must allow employees to work from home whenever possible.

2. Contacts: it is allowed to meet one person outside of your own household. The federal and state governments ask you to limit all private contacts to the absolute minimum and to stay at home as much as possible. Infection risks can be significantly reduced if the number of households from which further contact persons come is kept as constant and as small as possible ("social bubble").

3. Mouth-nose protection: Only medical masks (i.e. operation-masks, KN95/N95 or FFP2 masks) are allowed in shops and local transport. Cloth masks are now no longer allowed in these common areas!

4. Schools/day care facilities: The restricted operation/closure of day care facilities and schools will be maintained until February 14, 2021.

Implications for CECAD:

Homeoffice/Presence at CECAD

• Please reduce your presence at CECAD to the absolutely necessary, which is mainly for experimental activities. If possible, paperwork and writing should be done at home.
  Please coordinate procedures with your superiors.
• Where presence at CECAD is still required, the known COVID19 health and safety measures must be observed (e.g. reduced occupancy of rooms; wearing medical masks provided by the groups; documentation of contact data when using rooms at the same time).
• To further equalise public transport utilization, flexible working hours should be implemented wherever possible and in consultation with supervisors.
• As a reminder, please make sure your time at CECAD is documented using the different systems established by the individual labs.

Contacts

• Please also note the attached appeal by the Chairman of the Board and Medical Director of the University Hospital. 

Mouth-nose protection

• All employees must wear medical mouth-nose protection inside the CECAD research center, especially if more than one person is in the same room. The mask requirement also applies on the campus outside if a distance of 1.5 m is not maintained.

Schools/day care facilities

• The CECAD management appeals on behalf of the hospital and university management to all PIs/heads etc. to jointly create flexible solutions with their personnel that takes into account the individual circumstances of their employees.
• The University Clinic provided Information on the new regulations on children's sick pay under (https://intranet.uk-koeln.de/aktuelles/detail/show/neue-regelungen-des-kinderkrankentagegeldes-fuer-2021-1/1). We will keep you informed when there is information on this topic from the university side.

Further general information related to the virus is provided under:
https://www.cecad.uni-koeln.de/about/covid-19-measures-at-cecad/
https://intranet.uk-koeln.de/newsblog
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/coronavirus
https://www.land.nrw/corona

Please do not hesitate to contact us in case of questions: cecad-questions[at]uni-koeln.de

Thank you very much for your continuous support to keep the CECAD Research Center a safe place.

Very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen

Dear CECAD members,

We wish all of you a healthy, happy and successful new year with promising perspectives thanks to the vaccines that are now available! Until we get back to normal we ask for your continued support in keeping CECAD a safe place to work!

Unfortunately, the shutdown situation has not eased at the beginning of the new year.  As you might have already heard from the news, the state-wide shutdown has been extended until January 31st. The state of North Rhine-Westphalia has amended the Corona Protection Regulation and the Corona Entry Regulation. Many measures have already been implemented at the University of Cologne and the University Hospital. Detailed information to the following issues are summarized in the attached document.

• Regulations for returning travellers
• Reduction of internal meetings to minimize contacts
• Closure of university buildings (main building, Wiso) to the public
• Support for parents
• Teaching regulations as of January 11th

Up-to-date versions of the CoronaSchVO and CoronaEinrVO are provided at:
https://www.land.nrw/corona

Further information is provided under:
https://www.cecad.uni-koeln.de/about/covid-19-measures-at-cecad/
https://intranet.uk-koeln.de/newsblog
https://portal.uni-koeln.de/coronavirus

Please do not hesitate to contact us in case of questions under: cecad-questions[at]uni-koeln.de

Thank you very much for your continuous support also in 2021 to keep the CECAD Research Center a safe place.

Very best wishes,
Thorsten Hoppe & Carien Niessen