Coronavirus situation and instructions at the University of Vaasa

You will find information about the operations of the University of Vaasa below.

We have also opened a mail address for inquiries and questions concerning the coronavirus: corona.info@uwasa.fi Please note, that the mails are read and answered Mon-Fri 8 am to 4 pm.

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Operations at the University of Vaasa during 9 to 22 September

The University of Vaasa has received a notification regarding a coronavirus exposure in one of the tutoring groups during 1 September. The University of Vaasa cooperates tightly with the authorities regarding any investigations of possible chains of infection or other requested measures.

As a precaution, the following measures will be followed during 9 to 22 September:

• all teaching will be distance learning for the first year students
  • already before it has been informed that courses for new master degree students, students of previous classes and doctoral students are organized mainly online during the autumn
• study rooms are closed
• Exam-room remains open, entrance via restaurant door
• restaurants on campus move to takeaway-services
• books can still be borrowed from the Tritonia library
• university personnel can work on the campus according to previous guidelines

The University has also agreed with the Student Union of the University of Vaasa (VYY) about the tutoring activities during the upcoming weeks, with extra focus on safety.

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Operations at the University of Vaasa during autumn 2020

• The campus opens on 17 August, following regulatory restrictions and safety instructions
  • On-campus restaurant services open in stages: Alere will be open in August and Mathilda, Café Oskar and Alma will open 31 August with limited opening hours and selections
• Information about library services are found from Tritonia's web pages
• Studies can be done on campus, taking into account the general epidemic situation and safety and space constraints
  • Mass lectures for first-year bachelor's students and groups of more than 50 people will be replaced by online lectures and teaching in smaller groups
  • Autumn courses for new master's students and older students will be organised mainly as online teaching
  • The Exam-room re-opens on 17 August. Half of the seats will be in use and safety distance will be applied.
  • International students can come to Vaasa if possible within the existing travelling restrictions
  • Exchange studies and international interships continue within the limits set by the authorities
• The university personnel continues remote work if work tasks allow it
  • if the work requires presence on campus, we will work together to provide safe conditions for it
  • avoiding public transportation is recommended and, for example, cycling or walking to work
• Personnel and students are encouraged to wear masks at low thresholds
  • disposable masks and gloves as well as hand sanitizer are available for students in all classes and work spaces
• For events, the University's own events follow site-specific restrictions on the number of people present
• We continue following instructions given by the authorities regarding in all travelling (work and leisure)

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Students

More information for students: /en/news/koronaviruksen_vaikutus_opiskeluun/. More information is published whenever the situation changes, so students are advised to actively follow the university's web page, student mail, Moodle, Lukkarikone and WebOodi.

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Personnel: travelling, health care and sick leave (more information in intranet)

More detailed instructions for employees of the University of Vaasa is available in the intranet (including e.g. practical tips for remote working and teaching).

For all travelling (both work and leisure related), regulatory restrictions and recommendations apply. It is stronly recommended that work-related trips abroad are not made during autumn 2020. Any travelling must be approved by the deans and unit heads. Only necessary domestic work-related travel is possible and requires a separate permit from the supervisor.

Please check the instructions of the Finnish authorities:

• Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland
• Finnish Institute for Health Welfare
• The Finnish Border Guard

If a person returns from abroad on a business or leisure trip from a country from which THL instructs to self-quarantine, he or she must work remotely for 14 days and monitor his/her well-being. The own sick leave notification period is extended from three to seven calendar days until the end of year 2020.

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Basic protective measures against the new virus (for more detailed instructions, see more for example www.who.int)

• Always keep your hands clean
• Wash your hands when you come to work, before eating/smoking and when leaving work.
• The  best way to wash your hands is to use warm water and liquid soap
• Don’t touch the areas around your mouth and nose with your hands
• Please avoid close physical contacts, like shaking hands

General information about the coronavirus situation

Have you already downloaded the Koronavilkku-app? Koronavilkku is a contact tracing app produced by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) to help you find out whether you may have been exposed to coronavirus. Read more about Koronavilkku.

The most updated information related to the coronavirus situation in Finland can be found from Finnish institute for health and welfare (THL). Finnish Government recommendations are also published and available by the the Finnish government. Information about the virus is also available at World Health Organisation (WHO).

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The University of Vaasa crisis management team is led by the rector and consists of rector, vice rector, security manager, finance director, HR director, legal director and marketing & communications director. The team follows the coronavirus situation actively and keeps close contacts with other universities and the authorities, and decides the measures taken utilising the situational assessment of Finnish authorities.

For information, please contact:

rector Jari Kuusisto

tel. +358 29 449 8291