– We have worked intensively to put in place a sound arrangement for our students after the infection rates again increased sharply in our region. We have had close dialogue with the health authorities and Oslo Municipality and are now strengthening the test regime so that we can keep reading rooms open in a situation of high infection pressure, says Rector of the University of Oslo, Svein St?len.
Reading rooms opening
Two reading rooms, Eilert Sundt and Sophus Bugge, as well as master reading room seats will open on Monday at 09.00. We are working to open reading room seats in the Faculty of Law from Tuesday 23 March.Booking of reading room seats opens on Saturday 20 March at please see: uio.no/corona.
Testing twice a week
Students who want to make use of reading rooms are strongly recommended to get tested twice a week.
– We have seen before that the students do everything they can to help keep infection rates low and the campus open. I know they will continue doing so, says St?len.
The test capacity is doubled in the Frederikke building at Blindern (Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00). The test is a self-test for healthy and symptom-free students and employees at UiO, and instructions for the test are displayed digitally. If necessary, an employee from SiO Health can assist. In addition, we are working to open a test station in the city centre, from Tuesday 23 March in Stallen in Professorboligen. Student or employee cards must be presented upon testing.
Continued physical lab and skills training
Students who need access to campus to conduct skills training or perform experiments in laboratories to maintain their study progression will still have access to the buildings and physical education while adhering to infection control restrictions. Other types of physical teaching in groups will be digital. The University of Oslo Library is closed for the time being.
– Due to increased Covid-19 infection in Oslo, we have reviewed current measures at UiO and been in dialogue with the health authorities and the municipality. It has been very important for us to maintain access for students who need lab and skills training. We also know how important the reading rooms are and have now found solutions we believe are safe, says Rector Svein St?len.
Oslo Municipality has signalled that they are working on regulations that can provide guidelines.
– The Covid-19 infection situation is, as we all know, very serious, and we must be prepared for changes at short notice, says St?len.