Rector: please notify university of your positive test result

Quite understandably, the university cannot remain untouched by the spread of the coronavirus. The growth in the number of the infected has put the Health Board under a lot of pressure, which is why the necessary information does not reach all potential close contacts as quickly as we would like.

The least we can do to help the Health Board is inform the members of our university. Thereby we help ensure that students and employees do not unknowingly spread the virus.

From our information systems we can quickly retrieve information about the students who might have been in contact with the infected person in the classes. We have created an efficient method of communication – we send the potential close contacts an email with all the necessary information, and in addition, a phone text message in which we ask them to read that email.

We can notify the close contacts only in case the infected persons agree to let the university know of their positive test result. Students can inform of their infection either

• the academic affairs specialist of their institute,
• the programme director,
• the head of the institute, or
• especially in the evening and on weekends – the academic secretary of the university, Tõnis Karki (529 7917, tonis.karki@ut.ee).

I recommend that before you notify the university, think when the first symptoms appeared. Also, think back to the two days before the appearance of symptoms and try to remember when you participated in classes and in which rooms you were. If you have no symptoms but have given a positive test, think back to your movements in the two days before you gave the positive test.

In this way we can trace the possible close contacts and inform them of the need to self-isolate.

We advise employees to notify their immediate supervisor or the academic secretary. It would be very welcome if employees also inform their colleagues and possible close contacts.

I emphasise that every person still has the right to have the Health Board do all the notification of contacts. In that case, the Health Board notifies the university, but this inevitably leads to a delay in the informing process.

Stay healthy!

Toomas Asser
Rector of the University of Tartu