New coronavirus master plan: a step closer to normality
A return to normal occupancy in ETH Zurich offices and laboratories, as long as the 1.5 metre distance rule is respected. To encourage collaboration within and between teams, the Executive Board expects all employees to work on site at least 1-2 days per week in their office, laboratory or workshop.
When the new master plan for phase 3.5.3 comes into effect on 15 November 2021, the rules on room occupancy, in force since the start of the pandemic, will no longer apply. The previous requirement for a minimum space of 10m2 for every occupant of an office or laboratory will be scrapped. However, occupants must still respect the rule of keeping a minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other people. This should smooth the return to offices and laboratories; for example: two people (rather than one) can now work in offices with an area of 19m2. Wearing a face mask is strongly recommended in spaces with less than 10m2 per occupant.
“Simplifying the rules should support cautious steps towards normalisation,” says Ulrich Weidmann, head of the ETH Crisis Management team. “At ETH we fortunately have a high vaccination rate, as highlighted by our recent survey. Even so, the epidemiological situation is still precarious and we are not therefore pushing for permanent full occupancy of offices and laboratories – which in any case would contravene government guidelines. After almost two years since the start of the pandemic, however, it is now vital we strengthen teamwork between different departments and research groups.”
Many employees are already back working some of the time on site, which Weidmann says “...is creating a fresh dynamic”. To make sure no one feels excluded, increased physical presence on site is very desirable. The Executive Board believes getting more people onto campus is important and wants to see more face-to-face collaboration at least some of the time. It expects all employees to spend at least 1-2 days a week in their usual workplace.
The master plan contains another important change: attendance in the workplace is no longer decided by employees themselves, but by their supervisors. The relevant arrangements must be agreed with staff and reflect not only the team situations but also the employee’s personal circumstances. An attendance plan should be drawn up depending on room availability and the number of team members. Many colleagues will be delighted to get back on site. In this context, the Crisis Management team would like to remind everyone that shaking hands when meeting colleagues should be avoided for obvious health reasons.
The obligation to wear a face mask continues to apply in all indoor spaces in ETH buildings open to the public. All those attending ETH events or teaching sessions must continue to wear a face mask and present a COVID certificate. ETH members can still make use of the university’s PCR saliva testing program CoVMass for repeat testing. In the next few weeks, a CoVMass automated dispenser and drop-off facility will be installed in the ETH building Octavo. Full information on all Covid-19 test facilities at ETH can be found on this website.
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