Current measures in light of the continuing spread of COVID-19

On 12 March 2020 the crisis management committee of the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology decided upon the following measures, which will provisionally remain in force until 30 April 2020.

1. Business trips (incl. field research) to regions officially designated as high-risk areas cannot be authorized. All other business trips will only be approved if they are necessary for maintaining Institute operations or similar matters that cannot be postponed. The employee’s supervisor will decide on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the current risk level. Business travellers are obliged to keep themselves regularly updated about the current entry regulations in their destination country before the start of the journey.

2. Events within the Institute such as seminars, workshops, etc. are cancelled. Internal meetings can be convened by group supervisors after a careful assessment of the risks to all employees in each case.

3. The library is closed to external users.

4. The main entrance on Advokatenweg and the entrance via the cafeteria are closed. Access to the Institute is only possibly using the chip keys issued to employees.

5. The applicable department will contact all invited guest researchers and stipend holders who are scheduled to arrive at the Institute through 30 April 2020 in order to assess the risks of visiting the Institute. Guest researchers and stipend holders are obliged to inform themselves about the entry regulations to Germany that apply to them before they begin their journey.

6. Researchers who will be returning from fieldwork before 30 April 2020 will be contacted by their supervisor to determine whether they may come to work at the Institute immediately after their return or whether they must observe the standard 14-day quarantine period.

7. The sanitation measures within the Institute have been intensified. The lavatories will be cleaned more frequently and additional dispensers of hand sanitizer have been made available.

8. All external visitors, maintenance workers, etc. are required to provide their contact information at the reception desk and fill out a questionnaire regarding their exposure risk.

All employees are urged to minimize their risk of infection during their private activities, as far as this is possible. Please pay particular attention to following the hygiene measures recommended by the public health authorities.

Marie-Claire Foblets
Head of the crisis management committee