Business trips in Germany should only be carried out if absolutely necessary. The approval is the responsibility of the respective head of department.

Business trips abroad, which must be questioned even more critically, must get voted with the head of department and get agreed with the director of department. There is no need to report business trips to the crisis management team of the general administration of the Max Planck Society anymore.

It is possible to obtain certificates of incapacity to work by telephone from your doctor.

Special leave can be granted in the event of daycare and school closures, closures of facilities for persons with disabilities, childcare prohibition due to segregation, as well as school or company holidays ordered by the competent authority for reasons of infection control or in the event of the lifting of compulsory attendance at a school.

The period for granting special leave has been recently extended until 24 November 2021.
If you need to use special leave in an emergency, please contact Ms. Franke in Human Resources: personal@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de

We would like to remind you that it is very helpful to keep a contact diary. In case of an infection, the public health department would query past contacts..
Download: Contact Diary     

Regarding our recommendation to keep a contact diary, we would like to point out here that with the latest update of the Corona Warning App, the function of a contact diary is now available there. Users of the app can voluntarily note down their encounters in it, in order to be able to effectively support the health department in tracing the chains of infection in the event of an infection with the corona virus.

A good compilation of the known facts about the coronavirus can be found on the website of the Robert Koch Institute.

The Authority for Health and Consumer Protection also provides information on the topic, including specific information for Hamburg: https://www.hamburg.com/residents/settle/health/13702364/coronavirus/

The city of Hamburg provides FAQs and general rulings in foreign languages: https://www.hamburg.de/coronavirus/international/

For MPI-M employees: Find further information in the intranet of the Max Planck Society: https://max.mpg.de/News/Pages/Empfehlungen-zum-Umgang-mit-dem-neuen-Corona-Virus-EN.aspx

The Federal Ministry of Health presents three criteria which you should check in case of suspicion. If you have symptoms of a respiratory infection (e.g. coughing) AND have been in a risk area in the last 14 days OR if contact with a person suffering from coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is less than 14 days ago, then contact with a doctor is recommended. Do not go to a doctor's office yourself to avoid infecting other people in an emergency, but call the doctor first (source: Authority for Health and Consumer Protection):

Hotline for Hamburg: +49 40 428 284 000

Medical emergency service (Note: It is best to call from a landline phone. Calls from mobile phones remain on hold longer, as the missing area code means that the local emergency service responsible must be determined first): 116 117

First aid emergency (!only for potentially life-threatening emergencies!): 112

Hamburg residents with relevant symptoms who have recently travelled to affected areas or who have had contact with people who may be infected can obtain advice by telephone at their doctor's surgery or at the numbers listed above. The Hamburg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians is currently preparing the possibility of testing at home after consulting the emergency medical service (116 117) in order to avoid further contact with other people.

Guidelines Covid 19, source: Robert Koch-Institut and WHO

Self-testing at MPI-M, updated July 6, 2021
There will be a maximum of 2 self-tests per week for all staff members who are dependent on working at the Institute, subject to availability.

Self-tests can be collected from Mr. Hosenberg's office (room B110). If you cannot meet him in person, please write an email to henning.hosenberg@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de and max. 2 tests will be placed in your mailbox.

COVID-19 Testing in Hamburg, last update May 20, 2021

In Hamburg, all citizens are offered at least one free antigen quick test per week (overview: https://www.hamburg.de/corona-schnelltest/).
You can find the available test offers and book your appointment here: https://eterminservice.de/terminservice.

The COVID-19 situation in Hamburg:
https://www.hamburg.com/residents/settle/health/14111762/corona-whats-new/

In all buildungs, corridors and public places at the MPI-M it is obligatory to wear a medical face masks (FFP2 mask /surgical mask). In need of medical face mask we have deposit FFP2 masks the Postraum of Bundestr. 53.

Access to the buildings:

• Access to the Bundesstrasse 53 is open.
• Access to the Bundesstrasse 55, Geomatikum is open, no check-in/check-out personally at the porter lounge anymore.
•  Access to the Bundesstrasse 45a is open. CIS employees of the institute are mostly working at home. Contact via mail: help-it@mpimet.mpg.de, or call: 41173-361.
• At Schäferkampsallee 29 access is by door code as before.

Due to the progress of Covid-19 vaccination, the nationwide relaxation in public life and withe the aim to always ensure a good working and research environment with the best possible health protection of the employees, the institute aims at an increasing working in attendance at MPI-M.

Since September 13, 2021 more presence work at the institue is expected again in order to reviatlize the institute and promote good collaboration and communication. At least 60% of the working time should be spent on site again. The directors emphasize the possible flexible handling of this regulation: the percentage of presence ist negotioable, but deviations have to be discussed and justified with the group leader. 

Hardware:
Under the current circumstances you are allowed to take hardware from your MPI-M office with you to set up an ergonomic workplace at home (e.g. flat screen, mouse, keyboard). As we still need to keep track of the hardware please send a mail to help-it@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de with your name, room (at the MPI), inventory and or serial number of the device.

The institute remains open. Information on our supplementary house rules concerning Covid-19:
infection protection and hygiene regulations (September 2021)

Selection interviews and hearings in appointment procedures are to be held virtually.

The use of the technical laboratories is permitted after consultation with the group leader and in compliance with the existing distance and hygiene rules.

Dear users of the Library and Information Service for Earth System Research,

The current Hamburg Coronavirus Containment Regulations applies.

• For entering the library, the 3G rule applies: Vaccinated or recovered or valid negative Corona test.
• Please fill out a contact form right at the entrance when entering the library if you want to use a work desk and take a visitor's card, which will be returned when leaving the library.
• If only borrowing / lending of books is intended, registration is not required.
• The general distance requirement does not apply. The minimum distance of 1.5 m is to be kept where this is possible due to the spatial conditions.
• In return, users are required to wear a medical mouth/nose protection during their entire stay in the library rooms.
• The group rooms "Atmosphere" and "Ocean" may be used by a maximum of 4 persons at the same time. Regular ventilation is recommended.
• The scanners and all research terminals are released for use. Please disinfect your hands before using them (dispenser at the library entrance).
• The lockers can be used.

Our current opening hours are:
Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

We are looking forward to your visit!

Best regards
Your BIS Information Team

Contact: bis.erdsystem@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de

In all buildungs, corridors and public places at the MPI-M it is obligatory to wear a medical face masks (FFP2 mask /surgical mask).

FFP2 masks can be collected from Mr. Hosenberg's office (room B110). If you cannot meet him in person, please write an email to henning.hosenberg@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de and 3 masks will be put in your mailbox.

Double occupancy of offices has already been possible since September under the condition that the distance is maintained. Under the application of 2G, double and multiple occupancy of offices is now also possible without the distance requirement and mask obligation. Please note that use of this option is voluntary. It requires that staff members voluntarily disclose their vaccination or recovery status while planning the use of the room. Alternatively, alternating occupancy of the offices can be agreed upon within the working groups.

In the public areas of the institute, such as corridors, stairwells, kitchens, the AHA+L rules still apply.

The parent-child room can be used in compliance with this hygiene and safety measures:

The seminar rooms have been reopened. CO2-sensors installed there provide some control as to when ventilation is required.

Meetings, seminars as well as informal meetings can take place with 2G-regulation (fully vaccinated or recovered) in presence without adherence to the 1.5 meter distance and mask requirements under the following condition:

• All persons participating in presence fulfill the 2G rule. The vaccination / recovered card (digital or written) is presented – without being requested – by the participants before the start of the meeting. There will be neither storage nor documentation of any data of the person or status.
• Participation in presence for staff is voluntary. This is the essential basis against the background that employees may not be forced to disclose about their vaccination status.
• In addition to attendance, the possibility of virtual meeting/seminar will be ensured. There is no need to disclose the reason for virtual participation.
   

It is still possible to hold meetings with the institute’s hygiene protection concept (AHA-L rule). However, please note that either masks are compulsory if the distance of 1.5 meters cannot be maintained, or the number of participants must be reduced to such a level that the minimum distance is guaranteed (see notice on the permissible number of persons in the seminar rooms).

A handout prepared by the MPG on the various options for holding meetings and events is provided as pdf file here.

The presence of the CIS and Geschäftszimmer (GZ) staff will be reduced without significantly reducing the service.

Opening hours GZ:
Monday to Thursday till 3pm
Friday till 2pm

Please make appointments with CIS via help-it@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de if you need direct support.
Geschäftszimmer, teamgz@we dont want spammpimet.mpg.de is also still available for your inquiries.

Business trips in Germany should only be carried out if absolutely necessary. The approval is the responsibility of the respective head of department. For business trips abroad, which must be questioned even more critically, it is also necessary to report them to the crisis management team of the general administration of the Max Planck Society.

Entry requirements, regulated by The Federal Ministry of Health:
https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/en/service/gesetze-und-verordnungen/guv-19-lp/coronaeinreisev/coronaeinreisev-en.html

Travelling information by the City of Hamburg:
https://www.hamburg.de/faq-english-travelling
 

Information on the designation of international risk areas:
New “areas of variant of concern”, “high incidence areas”, “risk areas” and regions that are no longer considered as risk areas:
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Archiv_Risikogebiete/Risikogebiete

Further information can be found on the re-open EU pageof the European Union.

To avoid the infection with Covid-19 and the associated health risks, employees are encouraged to take advantage of the numerous vaccination options that are now available. You can find information about the benefits of vaccination in this pdf file: 10 questions to ask yourself when considering vaccination
 

Employees who wish to be vaccinated during working hours will be given time off to do so.

In principle the MPI-M is not allowed to host visitors or guests for the moment.