Corona virus: Advice and information for (business) trips

Work travel

Consideration of pandemic-related aspects when approving normal business trips  will be taken into account by the respective supervisors. The review by the supervisors should clarify whether the trip is as urgent as claimed, and if so, the additional approval under coronavirus conditions in the case of such additional consents must be made subject to the proviso of full compliance with the standards of the university’s Hygiene Concept (in particular Section G.). If the categorization of the destination country worsens before departure (e.g. categorization as ‘high risk area’ or 'virus variant area'), then the supervisors must check whether the authorization should be revoked; the supervisors shall submit doubtful cases to the President’s Office. The supervisors’ reasons for their decision if they agree that the business trip is necessary both as regards purpose and timing must be noted in writing and a copy kept by the relevant supervisor until the safe return of the travelers, in case of any queries.

Excursions

Excursions are permitted as courses if they meet certain requirements. For details, see the University's hygiene concept (PDF).

German Foreign Office website: 
https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/de/ReiseUndSicherheit/covid-19/2296762 
German government website:
https://www.bundesregierung.de/breg-de/themen/coronavirus/corona-regelungen-1735032  
European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control: 
https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/cases-2019-ncov-eueea 
Robert Koch Institute website:
https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Risikogebiete_neu.html
World Health Organisation website:
https://covid19.who.int/  
Baden-Württemberg state government website with quarantine measures for the prevention of SARS-Cov-2 (Corona-Verordnung Einreise-Quarantäne – CoronaVO EQ), required of those entering/returning:
https://www.baden-wuerttemberg.de/de/service/aktuelle-infos-zu-corona/verordnung-fuer-ein-und-rueckreisende/ 

Several transport companies have been forced to cancel their trips due to Covid-19 measures and now offer vouchers instead of refunds. On the basis of the EU Commission's communication "Interpretative Guidelines on EU passenger rights regulations in the context of the developing situation with Covid-19", vouchers do not have to be accepted as refunds. Please insist on a refund of the total amount. If you have already accepted a voucher, you should also apply for a reimbursement, as a refund in form of a voucher is not compatible with EU law and can therefore not be valid.

The German government now wants to see this regulation changed by the EU and is striving for a regulation that obliges travellers to accept a voucher instead of a refund. Since there is a possibility that this regulation will also apply retroactively, we ask you to request a refund as soon as possible.

If advance payments have been made by the University of Tübingen, the refunds from the transport companies must be returned to the University.

For quarantine regulations, see the ordinance on entry and quarantine (in German) by the Ministry of Social Affairs. For further information, please refer to the State of Baden-Württemberg's FAQs for persons returning from travel. 

Please note: Employees who have to go into quarantine are obliged to do their work in the home office according to the regulations of the Baden-Württemberg state government, as far as this is technically and organizationally possible. Those affected should contact their superiors as soon as possible.

Advice from the public health authority

Those returning from abroad can obtain advice on medical questions from the Tübingen Health Authority. https://www.kreis-tuebingen.de/corona.html 

In case of symptoms contact your family doctor

If typical cold or flu symptoms occur, people returning from abroad should first consult their family doctor after making an appointment by telephone and referring to the previous trip. Alternatively, you can also contact the nationwide medical on-call service (phone 116117).  

Advice from the university medical service

The university medical service is also available for consultation, +49 7071 29-87092, daily 8.30-13.30 hours.