Due to the significantly increased number of new COVID-19 infections, hospitalizations and deaths observed in recent days, as well as the increasing number of infection and sickness cases among the staff of hospitals where classes for UMED students are held, including people directly involved in teaching , we renew our call for special application of all possible preventive measures. A lot depends on ourselves – all restrictions must be respected. Personal protective equipment of staff and students must be absolutely used.
The organization of teaching in pandemic conditions is determined by the regulation of the Minister of Science and Higher Education of September 29th , 2020 amending the regulation on studies (Journal of Laws of 2020, item 1679):
Ҥ13a.1. In the period from the date of the declaration of an epidemic threat or state of an epidemic until the end of the semester during which the state was cancelled, classes at studies may be conducted using distance education methods and techniques, regardless of whether it was provided for in the study program.
2. The number of ECTS points assigned to classes conducted in the period referred to in section 1 with the use of distance learning methods and techniques is not included in the number of ECTS points referred to in §13.
In connection with the above, we would like to inform you that students of the final year of studies get priority to have practical classes in clinical hospitals. In the case of undergraduate students – decisions as to the method of conducting classes are made by the course coordinators, primarily with epidemic safety in mind.
As stated in previous announcements, maximum use of pandemic-safe class activities should be made. In COVID-19-infected wards bedside activities should not be conducted – the classes should be held online until the danger of infection is over.
In the case of students getting sick with COVID-19, or of contact with unsecured symptomatic, suspected or infected persons, the following guidelines should be applied:
1.If the student shows symptoms of infection:
- Stays at home and limits social contact.
- Contacts the primary care clinic and follows the guidelines of the general practitioner.
- Contacts the teacher. The teacher conducting the classes allows the student to make up for the classes or decides about the possibility of remote participation in classes.
2. If the student is in quarantine, but shows no symptoms of illness:
- Follows the orders of sanitary and epidemiological services (observes the rules of quarantine).
- Contacts the teacher. The teacher conducting the classes allows the student to make up for the classes or decides about the possibility of remote participation in classes.
3. If the student has a positive COVID-19 test result:
- Follows the orders of the sanitary and epidemiological services / general practitioner / infectious disease specialist.
- Notifies the teacher who allows the student to make up for the classes or decides about the possibility of remote participation in classes.
- The student notifies the dean’s office, which, in consultation with the unit conducting the classes, prepares a list of contact persons – students and academic teachers, and submits it immediately to the relevant sanitary and epidemiological services.
- The students from the student group stay at home and limit their social contacts. Classes for the entire student group may be held only remotely until the end of the quarantine imposed by the sanitary and epidemiological services.
4. If the student had an unsecured contact (without social distancing, without using personal protective equipment) with a person with confirmed COVID-19:
- Stays at home and limits social contact.
- Follows the orders of sanitary and epidemiological services.
- Notifies the teacher who allows the student to make up for the classes or decides about the possibility of remote participation in classes.
- In the event of the appearance of symptoms of infection, contacts the primary care clinic and follows the guidelines of the general practitioner.
5. If the student had unsecured contact with a person with clear symptoms of COVID-19, but without a confirmed test:
- Stays at home and limits social contact.
- Notifies the teacher who allows the student to make up for the classes or decides about the possibility of remote participation in classes.
- Further steps depend on the test result of this person – a negative result means return to classes. A positive result means the application of the provisions of point 4.
In doubtful or unregulated situations in this announcement, help is provided by the dean’s offices and the University authorities. At the same time, we ask the heads of units and persons responsible for teaching for a possibly independent, flexible and academic community-friendly approach in organizing classes in the changing epidemic situation in Poland.
Prof. Adam Antczak MD PhD
Vice-Rector for Clinical Affairs and Science Management