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The position of the authorities of the Medical University of Gdańsk regarding the threat of coronavirus

26.02.2020

Due to the constantly increasing 2019-nCoV virus incidence rate and areas of its active transmission, the authorities of the Medical University of Gdańsk highly recommend complying with the preventive rules formulated by the Ministry of Science and Higher Eduction (https://www.gov.pl/web/zdrowie/coronavirus) which significantly reduce the risk of infection.

Considering safety reasons and the shifting dynamics of the epidemiological situation, the MUG’s authorities recommend reducing both domestic and foreign staff business trips only to an absolute minimum. Also, the visits of foreign guests from places of high epidemiological threat should be prevented as well. According to the Chief Sanitary Inspectorate these are: China, Hong Kong, Italy, Iran and Japan. Furthermore, we suggest reducing the number of univeristy wide-events (conferences and any large-scale initiatives) to an absolute minimum.

The MUG’s authorities are currently devising plans of suspending part of the didactic classes. It shall be implemented if the epidemiological situation in our region demands it.

The main recommendations include:
- frequent hand washing with the use of soap, and in the case of shortage use of alcohol-based liquids / gels (min. 60%)
- applying appropriate protection principles when coughing or sneezing: cover your mouth and nose with a bent elbow or handkerchief – immediately dispose of the handkerchief by throwing it into a closed waste bin and wash your hands using soap and water, and in the case of lack of access use alcohol-based liquids / gels (min. 60%)
- maintaining a safe (at least 1 meter) distance between yourself and other people, especially those who cough, sneeze and have a fever
- the use of protective masks is recommended only for people who show disease symptoms (cough) and for medical staff performing professional activities in close contact with patients showing disease symptoms (cough); it is not recommended to use protective masks in other cases, in particular during classes, in public transport, etc.
- getting immediate medical attention if you have a fever, cough, breathing difficulties

Members of the MUG community who experience relatively mild respiratory symptoms and have not travelled to the aforementioned countries are kindly asked to apply basic protective measures when coughing, sneezing and washing hands. If possible, please remain home until you recover.

It is recommended that if a person has been to a country of SARS-CoV-2 virus active transmission in the last 14 days he or she should contact the nearest local County Sanitary-Epidemiological Station (WWSE in Gdańsk, Dębinki 4, tel. +48 605-602-195).

Furthermore, if in the last 14 days a person has stayed in one of the countries affected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and shows symptoms such as cough, shortness of breathing, breathing difficulties and fever (high temperature) he or she should report (preferably not by the means of public transport) to the:
Pomeranian Centre for Infectious Diseases and Tuberculosis in Gdańsk, Smoluchowskiego 18, tel. no. +48 58 341 40 41.
or
University Maritime and Tropical Medicine Centre in Gdynia, Powstania Styczniowego 9B, tel. no. +48 58 699 85 78

It is also recommended to follow current information on basic protective measures against coronavirus and principles of epidemiological and medical management of SARS-CoV-2 which is being posted on the governmental websites such as: https://www.gov.pl/web/koronawirus and www.gis.gov.pl/aktualnosci/

In addition, we would like to inform you that the National Health Fund has launched a special helpline to aid the Polish people in dealing with suspected cases of SARS-CoV-2. It operates round the clock, seven days a week, and you can reach it by tel. no. 800 190 590.