Basic protective measures

The plan is currently under revision.

• Wherever possible, a minimum distance of 1.5 m must be observed to other people.
• Surgical masks are still required as the minimum level of protection. We recommended wearing an FFP2 mask for your own protection.
• Masks must be worn in all public areas.
• You can remove your mask once you have reached your designated desk or workplace, provided you can keep a distance of 1.5m to other people at all times and there is an adequate supply of fresh air.
• Students have to wear a mask before they are seated during lectures and practical classes (at least a surgical mask, but we recommend wearing an FFP2 mask). If the minimum distance can be maintained once you are seated, you may remove your mask.
• Speakers are exempt from the obligation to wear a mask.

Please be sure to comply with hygiene guidance, keep your distance, wear a mask and ventilate rooms regularly at all times.

FAU will ensure that plenty of washing facilities with liquid soap and paper towels are available once students are back on campus.

If you have any reason to complain, please send an e-mail to

• zuv-g5-reinigung@fau.de (during normal working hours)
• leitwarte@fau.de (outside of working hours).

Tools and work equipment must only be used by one person exclusively wherever possible. Where this is not possible, regular cleaning is required, particularly before handing tools and work equipment to other persons.

Current research indicates that the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 is mainly transmitted via droplets and aerosols. This means that indoor air hygiene also plays a major role in preventing the spread of infection as well as keeping a minimum distance, observing hygiene guidance and wearing a mask. In indoor spaces, ventilation and air exchange are important measures for preventing infection and preventing the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. The concentration of airborne viruses is lowest in fresh air.

Sufficient ventilation must therefore be ensured in offices and conference rooms as well as in lecture halls, seminar rooms and laboratory facilities.

Rooms with ventilation systems

All rooms that have ventilation systems on the list of approved rooms at FAU are supplied with the maximum possible amount of fresh air.

At FAU, the required rate of air exchange and the supply of fresh air are ensured by the safe operation of ventilation systems in the

• lecture halls (see list of approved rooms),
• seminar rooms (see list of approved rooms),
• computer rooms (see list of approved rooms),
• reading rooms at the University Library,
• swimming pools and sports halls of the Department for Sport Science and Sport.

Further, the following rules apply to the operation of ventilation systems:

• Ventilation systems must be operated at maximum power before and after a room is used to ensure that the air has been exchanged completely at least once before it is used again,
• Ventilation systems must not be switched off during opening hours as this would lead to an increased concentration of viruses in the air in the room and consequently to an increase in the risk of infection,
• Users of a room must check in advance if the ventilation system of the room is in operation or not. Ventilation systems are switched on before and after classes by the facilities department or the Control Center in accordance with the room allocation in FAU UnivIS or the application for room use. Please contact the Control Center at +49 9131 85- 27777, e-mail: leitwarte@fau.de if the ventilation system has not been switched on or if it is not working and refrain from using the room until the cause has been clarified.

Ventilation via windows and doors in rooms without ventilation systems

Rooms should be ventilated regularly by opening the windows. Intermittent ventilation by opening the windows and doors wide is considered most effective. This reduces the risk of infection in rooms such as offices and seminar and conference rooms that are used by several people. Ventilation using windows that are permanently tilted open is less effective, but can be used in addition to intermittent ventilation to prevent a rapid and strong increase in concentration of viruses in the air.

The following rules apply for ventilation without ventilation systems:

• Intermittent ventilation should be carried out at regular intervals. We recommend ventilating offices once per hour. We recommend ventilating meeting and seminar rooms once every 20 minutes. How often rooms are ventilated depends on their size, how many people are using the room and for what purpose (e.g. activities with increased aerosol output). Rooms should be ventilated more often during the pandemic. We recommend ventilating offices, conference rooms and seminar rooms every 20 minutes for at least 3 to 10 minutes each time.
• The duration of intermittent ventilation varies according to the time of year: approximately 3 minutes in winter, 5 minutes in spring/fall and around 10 minutes in summer with the window fully open. Doors should be opened wide, where possible.[EY1]
• Conference rooms and seminar rooms as well as other rooms used by several people (e.g. break rooms and kitchens) must be adequately ventilated before and after use.

Use of air conditioning units and other secondary ventilation systems

The use of permanently installed air conditioning units in offices used by one person is not harmful. In rooms used by several persons, such as offices with public access, offices during meetings or conference rooms, air conditioning units that merely circulate the air should only be used to cool rooms before and after they are used if no additional ventilation systems have been installed. The supply of fresh air must be provided by opening the windows as described above.

The use of other secondary ventilation units such as devices that simply recirculate the air in a room without introducing air from outside to lower the concentration of aerosols (such as fans, mobile air conditioning units, fan heaters) is not harmful in offices used by one person only. If such devices are to be used in offices used by several people or those with public access or during meetings, a risk assessment for this type of use must be carried out. Particular care should be taken to ensure that the flow of air does not move from one person to another to prevent an increased risk of the transfer of droplets or aerosols contaminated with the virus. In addition, a sufficient supply of fresh air from outside must be ensured using manual ventilation as described above.

Information on working from home is available on the pages on “Research and work”

All members of FAU including all professors, research associates, public servants, employees and students are responsible for ensuring that the basic protective measures are complied with in their area of responsibility. This applies in particular to managers, committee leaders, examiners and teaching staff. This also includes the responsibility to inform the relevant persons (e.g. participants in examinations and face-to-face sessions) in an appropriate manner about regulations on infection prevention applicable within their own area.

Lecturers have the responsibility for ensuring that the minimum distance and hygiene guidance is complied with in lecture halls and rooms used for teaching, and that face masks are worn where necessary. They may deny access to the room if any of these requirements are not complied with.

Meetings can be held in person. Masks (or FFP2 masks) do not need to be worn during a meeting if the minimum distance of 1.5m is maintained and the room is ventilated correctly.

However, care should be taken to reach an agreement with all attendees at the start of the meeting. If anybody is present who is concerned about masks not being worn (for example because they belong to an at-risk group) and they ask for masks to be worn, this should be respected even if the individual does not want to explain the reason for their concern.

All types of regular and special events are once more possible without any special restrictions/regulations apart from the internal FAU obligation to wear a mask.

Organizers are responsible for implementing hygiene guidance such as keeping a distance, ventilation etc. It is no longer necessary to submit a hygiene concept in advance. Organizers will include the obligation to comply with all remaining hygiene guidance in the safety concept they are obliged to draw up for special events. For events that do not require a safety concept, the obligation to comply with all remaining hygiene guidance will be stated in the letter granting approval.