Contact teaching cancelled until 15 May, exam period is prolonged to 30 September

Rector's extraordinary measure in effect from 11 March until 15 May 2020 cancels all forms of contact teaching and other contact activities such as exams or consultations. This limitation does not apply to distance learning, e-learning, deadlines for submission of theses and other study achievements. Please note that the government has declared a State of Emergency in Czech Republic and prohibited the free movement of people in the area of the Czech Republic. See all the details below.

The situation is constantly evolving, so a MU Crisis Board has been established, which in cooperation with experts from the Faculty of Medicine of MU prepares up-to-date information and prepares appropriate measures and procedures, which are continuously updated on this page.

What is COVID-19

Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 disease. According to currently available information, its incubation is up to 14 days (average of 5 to 6 days). It is transmitted especially in contact with infected people. The main symptoms are fever above 38°C, dry cough and shortness of breath. Please find more information at who.int. See also the webpage of Ministry of Health koronavirus.mzcr.cz/en.

On Thursday, March 12, the government of the Czech Republic declared a State of Emergency in the Czech Republic (official government version) for 30 days due to coronavirus. The State of Emergency is valid from March 12 at 2 p.m. The reason is the danger to the health of the population.

Government orders during the State of Emergency:

• Free movement of people in the area of the Czech Republic is prohibited. The Government has decided to prohibit free movement of all people in the Czech Republic. With effect from Wednesday 25 March, it is prohibited to gather in public places in more than two people, with the exception of members of the same household, essential work reasons, or funerals. It is allowed to:
  
  • travel to work and to go for necessary family visits or to visit close persons,
  • buy the things needed to meet the basic necessities of life (to shop food, medicines and medical goods, sanitary goods, goods in pharmacies, animal feed and other supplies for animals), including necessities for relatives and close persons or other persons (volunteering, assistance to neighbours),
  • ensure care for children and animals; to use financial or post services and fuel stations,
  • go to medical facilities and social facilities, including the necessary accompanying relatives and close persons. You can also go to a veterinary care facilities,
  • arrange your urgent official matters, including necessary accompanying your relatives or close persons,
  • go to the countryside or to the parks,
  • go to the funeral.
• Ban on going outside without a facemask: the government has prohibited going outside without protecting your respiratory track (nose and mouth), by means such as facemasks or scarves. Without these means of protection, you can’t go outside, shopping etc.
• No using public transport without a facemask: it is prohibited to use public transport in Brno (also in Prague) without using means of protecting respiratory track (nose and mouth), such as facemasks or scarves.
• During 8 – 10 am only seniors (people older than 65) can shop in grocery store, drugstore and pharmacies.
• Czech Post limits opening hours, all post offices will close at 4 pm and weekend working hours are cancelled. Between 10 am – 12 pm, all post offices will be opened only for seniors (over 65 years old).
• ALL foreigners are prohibited to enter the Czech Republic. The government bans entry for all foreigners to the Czech Republic from Monday 16 March 00:00. The only exceptions are foreigners with a temporary stay over 90 days (this includes student visas and long term residence permits) or permanent residence.
  • Please see in this table the regulations for international students and staff.
  • Please make sure you understand how you are classified:
    • Foreigner with resident permit in CZE: any student/staff/faculty who has a visa over 90 days OR a long-term residence permit OR residence permit
    • Foreigner (tourist): All visitors who DID NOT get a visa prior to arrival or did not need one (EU citizens, UK, people here less than 90 days, etc.).
      • Please be aware that if you are classified as a foreigner (tourist) and you decide to leave the Czech Republic, you won’t be allowed to return to the Czech Republic during the State of Emergency (once the State of Emergency ends, you can come back).
  • Ministry of Interior of Czech Republic recommends Masaryk University’s employees and students from EU countries who don’t have permanent or temporary residence over 90 days in Czech Republic to present one of those documents (or combination of those documents) in order to be allowed to enter the Czech Republic: 1. insurance card of Czech health insurance company, 2. accommodation contract (including dormitory contract), 3. an employment contract. Unfortunately, the Confirmation of Study or student card is not sufficient.
• International carriers are banned from transporting more than 9 people across the borders (Austria, Germany, Poland, and Slovakia).
• Czech citizens are banned from leaving the Czech Republic. The only exceptions are people who commute to work across the borders.
• Everyone who arrives/arrived from a high-risk country to the Czech Republic after Friday, 13 March has to go into quarantine for 14 days. 
  • High-risk countries are: Austria, Belgium, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK
  • There is a fine of 3 million Czech crowns (approx. 114 250 euro) for not observing the quarantine. 
  • Quarantine means staying at home, not coming out, refraining from contact with your flatmates. In case of having symptoms, you have to call 112.
  • If this concerns you and you are living in the halls of residence, contact your receptionist who will give you more information on what to do. The quarantine will happen outside the regular halls of residence.
• Prohibition of events over 30 persons: cultural activities are also prohibited, as well as sports, religious and other events. Also, public and private events with participation of over 30 people are prohibited. This prohibition does not apply to meetings of constitutional and public bodies and funerals.
• All restaurant, bars, cafes and shops are closed. Students canteens, grocery stores, chemist´s, pharmacies and petrol stations will be opened. Opened are also technology stores, consumer electronics, newspapers, magazines and tobacco products, and pet shops and optician shops.
• No access to gyms, clubs and libraries: it is not allowed to enter into gyms, swimming pools, solariums, saunas, wellness centres, music and entertainment clubs, public libraries and galleries.
• The government has suspended issuing visas and residence permits.
• Students who were legally in the territory of the Czech Republic, may remain in the territory for the duration of the State of Emergency, even if their visa will expire. Upon the end of the State of Emergency, students must resolve their status immediately.

Are you willing to help during the epidemic? We are looking for volunteers! Anyone who wants to help with babysitting, help seniors, IT services or provide information to those in need can apply. We are also interested in volunteers outside Brno. Use the form to select the activity you are interested in. Please be patient, we will contact you soon.

• Students and employees of MU can apply through this form by logging in through Office365 (it is necessary to enter an e-mail in the form UČO@muni.cz) and enter the primary password.
• Public volunteers can apply using this form.
• If you are an individual interested in volunteer help, please contact us using this form.

The performance of community service falls under the exception to restrictions on free movement. Therefore, volunteers can move freely for the purpose of carrying out their activities and they have access to the buildings of Masaryk University.

Teaching

The Rector's extraordinary measure cancels all forms of contact teaching until 15 May and other contact study activities, including examinations and consultations. The measure does not apply to distance learning, e-learning, deadlines for the submission of theses and other study achievements.

The deadlines for submitting the final theses will be set at the individual faculties so that students will have the opportunity to complete their studies in the spring semester 2020. Additionally, the faculties are recommended to announce additional dates in September for the final state examinations and students can choose which date fits them better. Exceptions for certain faculties may apply, and students should look for information directly from their faculty. 

The exam period will be held from May 18 to September 30, 2020, and the dates will be offered throughout the period, including during the summer months, so that students have enough opportunities to take the exams. As a result, the autumn semester will start on October 5, 2020 and will last until January 17, 2021 (see the approved Academic Year Schedule 2020/21). 

Individual faculties will now identify courses that cannot be taught in the distance mode at the time of emergency at MU. For these courses, an extraordinary “S” evaluation will be implemented in the MU Information System, which means that students who have enrolled in such a course in the spring semester 2020 will be considered as having successfully completed it (including the appropriate number of credits). The evaluation does not count towards the grade average and will be specifically described in the Diploma Supplement. 

Consultations and other communication with students will be carried out by remote communication tools (telephone, e-mail, teleconferencing through MS Teams, etc.). 

It is recommended to make maximum use of electronic tools available at it.muni.cz. Further recommendations and instructions for teachers can be found at is.muni.cz/do/mu/samostudium.

Research

The measure does not apply to research, development, grant grants, etc. Doctoral students and other students can participate in these activities only if they are in an employment relationship with MU (only a scholarship in itself does not establish an employment relationship). Laboratories are unavailable to other students and the public.

It is not yet possible to estimate the impact of measures on project implementation – the situation is continuously evolving. Please do not contact the provider individually – contact the Research and Development Office of MU to find out more information.

Internships

The Rector's decision to cancel all contact teaching does not apply to student internships, practice or part-time jobs etc., that are made at third-parties. Nor does it apply to situations where credits are assessed by the community service (volunteering), even if it is done at MU.

These cases are not considered as contact teaching at MU and are not covered by the Government Resolution on Declaration of State of Emergency. These practices, internships, temporary jobs, community service, etc. can therefore take place as long as the other legal conditions and restrictions on free movement are respected.

The coronavirus epidemic affects not only the physical but also the mental health of humans. If you need the help of a psychologist in the current crisis, you can use the online consultation offer.

Students of Masaryk University can make use of psychological counselling, which is provided by the Masaryk University Students’ Advisory Services. Currently, the psychological counselling could be done only online due to government regulations. In the current crisis situation, MU Students’ Advisory Services has established a special emergency psychological counselling service with a shortened online consultation regime (Skype, e-mail) for coronavirus pandemic related topics. The request must be sent to the e-mail address koronavirus@muni.cz. Include in the subject of the report: Psychologist - student help.

Employees of Masaryk University can also make use of psychological counselling. At this moment, you can contact the psychologists Lubomir Smekal and Ludmila Piňosová (via e-mails lsmekal@gmail.com and lidpinos@gmail.com) or you can contact anyone from the team of the Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics of the Faculty of Medicine of MU. They are ready to consult via email or Skype.

You can also read this recommendation for the public written by Miroslav Světlák, Head of the Department of Psychology and Psychosomatics (Masaryk University) and Adam Suchý, a clinical psychologist and psychotherapist from Olomouc.

• Up-to-date information of Masaryk University Centre for International Cooperation on foreign trips to risk areas.
• All emergency measures and recommendations of the government are always available to the special website of the Czech Ministry of Health.
• The announcement of the State of Emergency in the Czech Republic can be found on the vlada.cz website, as well as the decision on the prohibition of free movement of people.
• If you are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, call the nonstop helpline 112 or helpline of the National Institute of Public Health +420 724 810 106 or +420 725 191 367.
• Current information and advice for the South Moravian Region is available at the website of the Regional Public Health Department in Brno (in Czech).
• Further details are available at the WHO website.

• Nonstop helpline of the National Institute of Public Health: +420 724 810 106, +420 725 191 367 nebo +420 725 191 370.
• Coronavirus infoline of the Regional Public Health Department in Brno is working on the phone number +420 773 768 994 (Mon–Fri 8:00–17:00)
  
  
• If you have any questions about the precautions of Masaryk University or you are not sure how to proceed, write to koronavirus@muni.cz
• There is also e-mail address emergency@muni.cz for participants of exchange programmes where you can write in case of uncertainty, or if you have any questions to decisions regarding the return from abroad.

Further detailed information and measures are also issued by individual faculties of Masaryk University, the Centre for International Cooperation and the Teiresias Centre:

If you experience symptoms of emerging respiratory disease (fever above 38°C, cough, breathing problems), stay at home, limit contact with others, contact a doctor via phone or email or other established helplines and follow their instructions. If you do not have a doctor in the Czech Republic, do see the list of English-speaking doctors in Brno here. 

Helplines: 

• +420 724 810 106, +420 725 191 367 or +420 725 191 370: nonstop helpline of the National Institute of Public Health 
• 112: medical and rescue service (as well as fire and police service) 
• +420 777 46 56 56: Centre for International Cooperation, Masaryk University 

If you have trouble that operators of Czech helplines do not speak English, please contact the helpline of Centre of International Cooperation at Masaryk University.

If you have recently returned from an affected area and you have experienced fever above 38°C, cough or difficulty breathing within 14 days of your return, please follow these guidelines:

1. Remain at home and avoid contact with other people.
2. Call your doctor, the emergency medical services or the nearest healthcare facility and inform them about your condition and your recent stay in an affected area.
3. If you are asked to attend a medical examination at a healthcare facility, follow the guidelines of the healthcare staff. Do not use the public transport.

Advice for travellers to affected areas:

• Avoid contact with sick people, in particular those with a cough.
• Avoid visiting markets and places where live or dead animals are handled.
• Frequently wash your hands with soap and water, particularly before eating, after using the toilet and after any contact with animals, OR use an alcohol-based disinfectant solution.
• Avoid contact with animals, their excretions or droppings.