Background: The novel coronavirus caused an outbreak of respiratory disease in China in December 2019. Tampere Universities are closely monitoring the situation and the instructions issued by the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. The main symptoms of a coronavirus infection have been fever and shortness of breath. The symptoms have typically been mild. The best way to protect yourself from any respiratory infection is to wash your hands carefully. On 11 March 2020, WHO announced coronavirus as a pandemic, a worldwide epidemic. The whole world counts as an epidemic area.
Events and Wappu
The Finnish government has announced in their press conference on 12 March that events or gatherings with over 500 people are not to be arranged. This policy is in place until the end of May, according to the current information. Events with under 500 people are not recommended either, and the necessity of every event should be considered critically. The Wappu event tour, Teemutour, other events and Wappu-related traditions will be postponed to a date that will be announced later, possibly until early autumn, as these events primarily host 100–500 people. For safety and well-being reasons, we strongly recommend that all student events are cancelled until the end of May and that discretion is used in all the events that are organised.
Teaching
The university has decided that mass gatherings of over 100 people won’t be organised on university premises or in other facilities. For the time being, all learning events that bring together more than 100 students will be delivered virtually or by putting in place other arrangements. The decision is based on the recommendation of an epidemiologist. In unexpected circumstances classes may be postponed or even cancelled. Exam rooms are also updated to larger ones and exams to be completed by a large number of students will be assigned to multiple rooms.
Exchange studies
All outgoing exchange students are offered the opportunity to return to Finland and suspend their exchange. Additional support is offered to outgoing exchange students who are currently placed in quarantine abroad. All exchange students will be contacted during week 11. Outgoing exchange students are asked to inform the university no later than 15 March of their plans to suspend their exchange. Students who wish to return to Finland by 22 March can be helped with travel arrangements as far as possible. Outgoing exchange students who suspend their exchange will arrange their own return flights. With questions related to exchange, students can contact mobility.tau@tuni.fi. The university may reimburse necessary travel costs incurred by returning exchange students based on an informal cost statement.
All outgoing exchanges and trips of our students will be cancelled for now. This also applies to new incoming exchange students.
Summary
We ask for understanding and patience from students and associations in this pandemic situation.
- The whole Wappu will be moved to a date that will be announced later, possibly until early autumn.
- We recommend that all student events are cancelled until the end of May and that discretion is used in events that are organised.
- For the time being, all learning events that bring together more than 100 students will be delivered virtually or by putting in place other arrangements.
- All outgoing exchanges are cancelled for now and all outgoing exchange students are offered the opportunity to return to Finland.
- There is no reason to panic, as the guidelines are preventative measures by the university and the state.
- People in good general health don’t need to worry, as the symptoms for them are mild. It’s especially important to take care of good hand hygiene, so that people in good general health can protect the risk groups that may get more serious symptoms from the coronavirus.
- If someone you know is in quarantine, remember to send messages or call them, so that they’re not left alone!
Read the instructions on the intranet. Questions related to the coronavirus epidemic can be sent to korona@tuni.fi. In the student union, the contact person is Laura Kaipia (laura.kaipia@trey.fi) and for Wappu issues, the Wappu team of TREY and Teekkari Union of Tampere (wappu@trey.fi).