Measures to prevent COVID-19

1. INTRODUCTION

This document establishes the necessary prevention instructions to avert the spread of the COVID-19 disease for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The University of Granada, in view of its return to normal activities, has established prevention measures to safeguard the health and safety of the university community, complying with the recommendations of the health and university authorities, and following the instructions of the Health and Risk Prevention (SPRL) Service.

These actions will be reviewed periodically and adapted to the evolving situation and regulatory changes.

This document is addressed to international students and research staff at the UGR. It is an abbreviated translation of the original text, which can be consulted at the following link:

https://covid19.ugr.es/informacion/salud-prevencion/medidas-preventivas-covid19-2021-2022

2. GOOD PRACTICES BEFORE ENTERING FACULTIES AND SCHOOLS

  • If you have any symptoms associated with Covid-19 (cough, fever, difficulty breathing, etc.) you must not leave home or go to university facilities. You must contact the COVID-19 helpline and follow their instructions:

    - Granada (and the rest of Andalusia): 900 40 00 61
    - Autonomous City of Melilla: 112
    - Autonomous City of Ceuta: 900 720 692

    You must not go to your workplace or faculty/school until you have received confirmation that there is no risk to you or to others. You can consult the following useful information:

    - How to act if you have symptoms
    - Isolating at home in mild cases
    - Video about isolating if you have symptoms

  • If you have had close contact (in general, close contact is considered to be any person who has been in the same place as someone with COVID-19, at a distance of less than 2 metres and for a total accumulated time of more than 15 minutes over a 24-hour period), you must not go to your workplace, even in the absence of symptoms, and you should follow the prevention measures established for each case. During this period, you must watch out for the onset of any symptoms of the disease and take general precautions to prevent contagion.

  • If you are UGR staff and find yourself in one of the cases described above, in addition to the above, you must IMMEDIATELY contact the COVID-19 team of your faculty/school, who in turn will inform the SPRL of the UGR (via email: @email), so that they can investigate the possible case and close contacts, and establish any relevant measures.

  • If you belong to a vulnerable group at risk due to SARS-CoV-2, you are UGR staff and you work in person, the Occupational Medicine division of the SPRL will evaluate your situation, as established in the "Action Protocol for SPRLs against Exposure to the New Coronavirus" of the Spanish Ministry of Health, and will draw up a report with the measures to be followed.

  • Staff who belong to these groups may apply to be assessed as being particularly vulnerable, by completing and submitting the following form: "P22 IT01 F04 Solicitud Evaluación Personal Especialmente Sensible Infección por SARS- CoV-2", by means of the Web Form Application.

3. GOOD PRACTICES IN TRANSPORT

  • Prioritise individual mobility options which best guarantee the interpersonal safety distance of at least 1.5 metres (by foot, bike, motorbike), using a face mask if this distance cannot be ensured.

  • If you have to travel in a private vehicle with more people or use public transport, follow the instructions of the Spanish Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA) regarding the use of face masks and capacity conditions.

4. GOOD PRACTICES AT SCHOOLS AND FACULTIES

There are general rules for everyone attending a faculty or school:

  • Face masks will be given (at reception) to all UGR staff.

  • The entrances to faculties and schools will have posters about hand hygiene and infection prevention measures.

  • All staff will be informed and trained on the risks of contagion and spread of coronavirus, paying special attention to the routes of transmission, as well as to the prevention and protection measures adopted.

  • If a person begins to notice symptoms compatible with Covid-19 at work, they must notify their manager or coordinator, take extra precautions in terms of both social distancing and hygiene, put on a face mask if they are not wearing one, and leave immediately for the Covid Room. You must immediately contact the SPRL Occupational Medicine division (telephone numbers +34958243069, +34958249407 and +34958248013 during working hours) and the public health system's Covid-19 helpline, and in any case you must leave your workplace until your medical situation has been assessed by a health professional. The rubbish bag in which you have deposited tissues or other used products must be removed and placed in a second rubbish bag, with a seal, to be deposited in the general rubbish bin.

  • If you notice that the person exhibiting symptoms is in a serious condition or has difficulty breathing, call 061 or 112. Follow the first aid instructions adapted to this situation, which can be consulted at the following link.

  • Remember to always maintain a social distance of at least 1.5 metres.

  • When entering UGR facilities it is essential to wash your hands: hand sanitiser will be available at the entrances of the buildings and soap will be provided in the toilets. It is especially important to wash your hands after coughing or sneezing or after touching potentially contaminated surfaces. You should wash your hands for at least 40 seconds. See these links for recommendations on how to do this:

  • Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue when coughing and sneezing, and then discard it in a closable rubbish bin. If tissues are not available, use the inside of your elbow to avoid contaminating your hands.

  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

  • Facilitate the work of cleaning staff when leaving your workstation, clearing up as much as possible and maintaining order.

  • Immediately dispose of any personal hygiene waste, especially disposable tissues, in the rubbish bins provided.

  • Cleaning and disinfection of workplaces and equipment (5) will be intensified (see Annex 1 of P22 "Extraordinary Instructions for Cleaning and Disinfection of COVID-19"), as it is crucial to ensure proper cleaning of surfaces and spaces, performing daily cleaning of all surfaces, particularly those that are frequently touched (such as doorknobs, switches, handrails, buttons, etc.) and rest areas, vending machines and water fountains (use individual and personal containers).

  • Natural ventilation shall be provided for as long as possible depending on climatic conditions. While the space is being cleaned, windows must be kept open. The Team Manager of the centre/unit/service must ensure that this measure is performed on a daily basis.

  • The use of other people's equipment and devices should be avoided as far as possible. If this is necessary, take extra precautions and, if possible, disinfect the equipment before use. If this is not possible to disinfect the equipment, wash your hands immediately after use.

  • The staff responsible for each unit, service, department, etc. must organise work tasks taking into account the instructions in this document. In general, in order to achieve social distancing and prevent crowding, actions such as the following must be adopted:

    • Establish separate entrance and exit areas to the workplace whenever possible and indicate them appropriately in order to prevent people crossing paths.

    • Use of collective or individual protective equipment.

    • For reception, support, and other activities which involve contact with people from outside the University, adequate individual and collective protective equipment and the necessary cleaning measures will be available.

    • As far as possible, the rotation of tasks shall be avoided and the stability of teams shall be favoured in order to reduce contact between different people as much as possible.

    • Individuals requiring the services of the University shall maintain a distance of at least 1.5 metres from the staff attending them. In order for this measure to be effective, strips shall be installed on the floor indicating the correct position and distance, and signs will announce this measure.

    • Prevent queues and prolonged stays in enclosed spaces. Face-to-face support attention and the provision of services shall be spread out over time, using appointment systems.

    • Access to lifts for people with reduced mobility will be prioritised. In other cases lifts may only be used by a single person.

    • All persons accessing university facilities must wear at least an approved surgical face mask in order to prevent them from infecting others.

5. SPECIFIC MEASURES ACCORDING TO PROFESSIONAL GROUPS AND ACTIVITIES

5.1. Teaching and Research Staff (PDI)

Teaching and research staff will have a different level of exposure to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 depending on the tasks carried out, especially if COVID-related research tasks are carried out, or if contact teaching is involved. In general, the majority of the teaching and research staff will have a low probability of exposure, due to the fact that their workstations do not have direct contact with the public or, if they do, it occurs at a distance of more than 1.5 metres, or they have individual and/or collective protection measures that prevent contact, according to the SPRL’s assessment.

The department directors will be in charge of coordinating and applying prevention measures in the use of the department's spaces.

At 100% capacity it is necessary to adopt the following measures:

  • Take into account the list of good practices indicated in the previous sections.

  • Daily cleaning (by cleaning staff) of all surfaces (including telephones, keyboards and computer screens) according to established procedure.

  • Adopt measures to prevent contact with surfaces that may be contaminated (e.g. keep doors open to prevent contact with doorknobs, handles, etc.).

  • Ensure a distance of 1.5 m from the public (including students and university staff). If it is not possible to maintain this safety distance, appropriate hygiene measures shall be taken to prevent the risk of contagion.

  • Ventilate work spaces in accordance with the "Ventilation and air conditioning recommendations".

  • Boost the maintenance and cleaning of all filters installed in air conditioning and ventilation systems.

  • If it is necessary to use lab coats in the laboratory, they must be washed and disinfected.

  • In general, it is recommended that you wash hands frequently and always after skin contact with commonly used surfaces or equipment that could be contaminated. This measure shall be reinforced through the use of specific information signs.

  • All staff who, for work reasons, have to carry out their teaching and research activity in other workplaces other than those of the UGR shall complete the mandatory Business Activity Coordination clearance with the company/companies involved.

  • Eating is only allowed in spaces at 75% of their capacity (in interior spaces).

5.2. Technical Staff in Laboratories

Laboratory staff will have a different level of exposure to the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 depending on the tasks performed. In general, the majority of the staff will have a low probability of exposure, due to the fact that their workstations do not have direct contact with the public or, if they do, it occurs at a distance of more than 1.5 metres, or they have individual and/or collective protection measures that prevent contact, according to the SPRL's assessment.

At 100% capacity it is necessary to adopt the following measures:

  • Take into account the list of good practices indicated in the previous sections

  • Carry out the daily cleaning (cleaning staff) of all surfaces (including telephones, keyboards and computer screens) according to the established procedure.

  • Adopt measures to prevent contact with surfaces that may be contaminated (e.g. keep doors open to avoid contact with doorknobs, handles, etc.).

  • Ensure a distance of 1.5 m from the public (including students and university staff). If it is not possible to maintain this safety distance, appropriate hygiene measures shall be taken to prevent the risk of contagion.

  • Ventilate work spaces in accordance with the "Ventilation and air conditioning recommendations".

  • The material, instruments, equipment or utensils used must be disinfected before they can be handled by another person (though preferably on an individual basis and not shared).

  • If it is necessary to use lab coats in the laboratory, they must be washed and disinfected.

  • In general, it is recommended that you wash your hands frequently and always after skin contact with commonly used surfaces or equipment that could be contaminated. This measure shall be reinforced through the use of specific information signs.

5.3. Laboratories handling SARS-CoV-2 samples

The measures for these labs shall be regulated by the document prepared for Laboratories with a Biological Containment Level against SARS-CoV-2. This document is part of the Health and Safety at Work Management System (SGSST) of the UGR as a Technical Instruction (P05 IT13 Biosafety Manual in Laboratories SARS-CoV-2) of the aforementioned system.