Updating information about coronavirus: UEF’s regulations and guidelines relating to the coronavirus

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21.08.2020

Updating information about coronavirus: UEF’s regulations and guidelines relating to the coronavirus

The page was updated 24th November.

Main points shortly

University of Eastern Finland has provided its staff and students with a guide for recommended use of face masks.
UEF has given a statement on teaching during the first semester as well as prepared a guide on the use of university faculties. Teaching will take place mainly online.
If you are ill or have any symptoms, stay home. People belonging in medical risk groups concerning coronavirus are not to go to the campus area for now.
Do not travel unless absolutely necessary. Follow the information provided by the Finnish government.
Limit of 50 people in events or meetings in university faculties will be continued. ISYY has given a statement on limitations in their faculties and ISYY events. ISYY recommends the use of online tools and platforms.
All exchange programs to and from UEF have been cancelled for first semester.

ISYY Offices

ISYY's Office services are available by appointments only 23.11.–15.12.2020. You can arrange a visit to the offices by calling the customer service numbers of the offices.

Joensuu:

Hannele Mirola, Membership Services Specialist, tel. +358 44 576 8449, toimisto.joensuu(at)isyy.fi

Kuopio:

Liisa Kainulainen, Specialist in Organisational Affairs, tel. +358 44 576 8419, toimisto.kuopio(at)isyy.fi

We hope that you wear a face mask and follow the safety instructions by UEF. Face masks provided by UEF are available in campus buildings and at ISYY's Joensuu and Kuopio campus offices. One pack contains 10 face masks. Please take the whole package of 10 masks with you.

Read More:
Isyy.fi: Staff Contact Information

Also ISYY's kiosk on Kuopio campus is closed until further notice.

SYKETTÄ Sports Services

SYKETTÄ sports services in Kuopio and Joensuu are discontinued for the remainder of the year. Follow SYKETTÄ communications for information about remote exercise classes!

ISYY Events

When planning events, we follow general safety guidelines as well as the university's policies regarding gatherings or restrictions.

ISYY Facilities and Venue Hire

The maximum number of people allowed at events held in ISYY’s facilities:
- Suvas meeting room and sauna: 20 people/event or per day
- Haltia meeting room is closed for the remainder of the year
- Lukema: 50 people /event or per day ( NB! Lukema is not available for daytime events between 8am and 5pm)
Participants also need to follow venue-specific guidelines, which will be presented to you when you hire the venue
It is mandatory to keep a social distance of 1,5 meters between participants, which needs to be taken into consideration when planning the number of participants
It is recommended that there is a possibility to wash your hands at the event, or at least enough hand sanitizer for all participants
Participants need to be instructed to attend the event only if they are healthy and have no symptoms of covid-19
Participants need to be instructed to keep the social distance of 1,5 meters and to practice good hand hygiene
If there are cash sales at the event, it is crucial to practice good hand hygiene

Student Organisations

ISYY recommends Student Organisations to follow the University's recommendations and take advantage of remote opportunities in autumn meetings.

What should you do, if you doubt you have a coronavirus infection?

If you suspect that you have coronavirus, carry out a symptom assessment using the Omaolo website. You can also book an appointment at a health centre from where you will be directed to the coronavirus test if necessary.

The symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, fatigue, a runny nose, nausea or diarrhoea.

Read More:
Omaolo.fi: Omaolo symptom check-up service
Kuopio.fi: Urgent medical care and healthcare services
Siunsote.fi: Emergency services. The site is only in Finnish, but the number to the emergency services is 116 117.

Instructions on how to take care of your business at FSHS during the coronavirus epidemic

Campuses

The main entrance doors of the campus buildings are open and, from 1 September onwards, all doors will be open as per normal.

All visitors (students, staff, guests) have to follow the following basic guidelines:

Only come to the campus when you are healthy.
The first thing to do when you arrive is to wash your hands. You should also wash your hands regularly throughout the day. Use hand sanitizer in situations where washing your hands is not possible.
Keep a safe distance to others (1.5–2 metres).
Wear a mask in situations where it is not possible to keep a safe distance to others.
No handshaking, no hugging.

Travelling

Continue to avoid unnecessary travel abroad. The Finnish Government reviews travel restrictions approximately every two weeks. The latest information on travel restrictions can be found on the Finnish Government’s website.

Those returning from abroad are to follow the self-isolation guidelines issued by the National Institute for Health and Welfare, THL. The self-isolation guidelines can be found from THL's webpage.

ThL.fi: Quarantine and isolation

A 14-day self-isolation period is not required from persons coming from countries for which restrictions on border traffic have been lifted. In addition, business travel to these countries is allowed, as are visitors from these countries. The same definition of policy applies to students’ training/internship periods or other studies-related travel abroad (such as field courses or other excursions). Student exchange, however, is cancelled for the entire autumn semester.

Necessary visitors from abroad (opponents, visiting researchers, students arriving from abroad, etc.) will be welcomed while observing the guidelines on self-isolation issued by the National Institute for Health and Welfare, THL. The latest information on the countries deemed safe for travel can be found on the Finnish Government’s website.

Domestic travel and visits are allowed.
It is prohibited to enter the campus for 14 days after returning from a “high-risk country”.

Valtioneuvosto.fi: Restrictions during the coronavirus epidemic

Providers of help

This exceptional situation can possible cause a lot of concern, anxiety and fear. But you don’t need to be alone with your thoughts. If you want to discuss or need help, you can turn to us with a very low threshold.

You can find the contact information from Kamu:
Kamu.uef.fi: Providers of help

Corona Help Lines in Kuopio and Joensuu:
Kuopio.fi: The city of Kuopio’s Corona Help Line
Joensuu.fi: Ask us! Information on the coronavirus

Tutor training

Tutor training currently runs remotely and through online assignments.

Kela

Student financial aid

The provisions regarding student financial aid make it possible to take into account the exceptional situation caused by the corona virus in the maximum periods of payment of student financial aid and when monitoring sufficient study progress. Information about other effects will be provided later.

Sickness allowance on account of an infectious disease provides loss-of-income compensation for persons placed in quarantine

Kela can pay a sickness allowance on account of an infectious diseases to employees who have been ordered to stay away from work in order to prevent the spread of a communicable disease such as the novel coronavirus. The sickness allowance is also available to the provider of a child under the age of 16 who is placed in quarantine, making it impossible for the provider to continue working while the quarantine is in effect.
Persons who have been placed in isolation or quarantine in an EU country can be paid a daily allowance. The placement in isolation or quarantine must be certified by a physician authorised to issue an isolation or quarantine order in the relevant country.

Services at campuses

The Joensuu Campus Library has opened on 17 August 2020 and the Kuopio Campus Library will open on 1 September 2020. Further information on the library’ services can be found on the library’s website:

Uef.fi: Library

Self-study facilities and IT classrooms, as well as Oppari’s customer service points and service desks in Joensuu and Kuopio, will be opened on 1 September 2020. Student and Learning Services’ customer service desks will open on 21 August 2020; more detailed information on the opening hours can be found in Kamu. Safety distances and the university’s guidelines on hygiene must be adhered to in all facilities.

Restaurant services available on the campuses will be opened to an increasing extent over the course of this autumn. Information on when each restaurant will open can be found on Yammer.

Take out lunch is available in all of the campus restaurants. Take out portions are chilled; warm take out lunch is available during the lunch hours.

Yammer.com: Campus restaurants
Uef.fi: Campus restaurants

Good to remember

Let’s keep in mind that it is our responsibility to limit the spreading of the infection so that people belonging to the risk groups stay as safe as possible.

The best way to prevent the infection is to take good care of hand hygiene. Read instructions from THL’s website:
Thl.fi: Information materials

Questions?

ISYY is actively communicating with UEF and other organisations related to student life. If you have any questions, feel free to contact our staff or members of the Executive Board.

You’ll find our contact information here:
Isyy.fi: Staff Contact Information
Isyy.fi: Executive Board Contact Information

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