​Coronavirus — General Advice and Information

On this page, please find general information on protective measures at Goethe University and links to further information on corona prevention and health

• Compulsory masks / mouth-and-nose coverings
• Hygiene to prevent virus spread 
• Campus
• Buildings
• University Library
• Canteens
• University sports
• Courses and Events
• University of the third age (U3L)

In accordance with the current coronavirus regulations of the State of Hessen, there is a general obligation to wear a medical mask (surgical mask or protective mask that meets the FFP2, KN95, N95 standard or comparable without an exhalation valve) in all buildings of Goethe University.

Areas/events with compulsory masks

In the case of workplaces/areas used by several employees at the same time and where it is not possible to comply with the rules (i.e. 1.5m minimum distance / 10m² per person and regular ventilation, e.g. when working on/with certain equipment, fume cupboards, in functional rooms), wearing a medical mask is obligatory (in the case of FFP2 masks, note the limit on wearing time!).

• a. Work areas occupied by several persons where it is not possible to comply with the rules continuously (offices, laboratories, workshops, stacks and archives, etc.)
• b. All areas with public traffic (counters; service areas, etc.)
• c. Whenever the employee leaves the work area where compulsory masks do not apply 
• d. When visiting another office/area
• e. If the work area is also used as a common area by other employees
• f. All indoor events. A distancing and hygiene concept is required  
• g. Study desks in the libraries and study desks in all other rooms available for this purpose

Areas/events without compulsory masks

In non-public areas (areas without public traffic, after taking one's seat, and observing the minimum distance and ventilation requirements):

• a. Individual workplaces in the workshops and laboratories 
• b. Individual workplaces in the stacks and archives  
• c. Work areas occupied by several persons (offices, laboratories, workshops and archives, etc.) in exceptional cases, only if it is possible to adhere safely to the rules (1.5m minimum distance / 10m² per person, partitions and regular ventilation) and only after approval by Occupational Health and Safety at the university
• d. Outdoor events (guided tours, courses, internal events, excursions, etc.) only as long as the minimum distance can be safely maintained. As soon as it becomes impossible to maintain this distance reliably, masks are compulsory.

Statement of the coordination group for biological work substances of the DGUV (PDF) (German) 

Further information (German).

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To reduce the spread of the coronavirus, the instructions of the Robert Koch Institute to prevent infection must be observed: 

• Hand hygiene (wash hands with soap for at least 20 seconds), 
• Maintain distance (at least 2 metres),  
• Cough and sneeze etiquette (cough and sneeze into crook of arm). 

You can find the 10 most important hygiene tips from the Federal Centre for Health Education here. Further instruction on hygiene and occupational safety can be found here (German).

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The generally binding distancing and hygiene rules must be observed on all campuses of Goethe University. Public activities that are likely to endanger these rules, such as parties, barbecues or picnics, are prohibited on Goethe University's campuses, irrespective of the number of people involved.

If distancing and hygiene rules are not followed, the respective representatives for domiciliary rights within the meaning of the House Rules (Section 3; 3) (German) are authorised to issue a ban on further access to the campus.

Tours and events on campus

Events / tours on campus, including those with external participants, are possible with an appropriate distancing and hygiene concept and following consultation with krisenstab@uni-frankfurt.de. So that the minimum distance of 1.5 metres can be reliably maintained, group size is limited to 20 persons. Guided tours inside the buildings with external participants are still not possible.

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University buildings on the Westend, Bockenheim, Riedberg and Ginnheim campuses are still closed to the public, but they may be used by university members under strict observance of the RKI standards. This applies for all buildings in which work is carried out that is indispensable for the organisation of teaching, research and administration. These buildings may be entered using card keys or via staffed main entrances. Access is regulated individually at each location (e.g. locking authorisations, lists with the porters).

In-person events in university buildings take place in accordance with distancing and hygiene concepts that are also to be observed outside the event rooms. If distancing and hygiene rules are not followed, the respective representatives for domiciliary rights within the meaning of the House Rules (Section 3, 3) (German) are authorised to issue a ban on further access to the campus.

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Due to the access restrictions to Goethe University buildings, including the checking of 3G proof (2G on the premises of University Hospital Frankfurt), the following applies for University Library facilities: 

• Access to the branch libraries exclusively for staff and students of Goethe University
• Access to the Central Library (foyer) for all library users, to the Central Library's reading rooms only with GoetheCard, library card or confirmation of a reservation for a special workplace. It is possible to return all books from other libraries to the Central Library. 

Masks are compulsory at all times (even when seated). 

Details of all available services can be found on the library's Service Monitor: www.ub.uni-frankfurt.de/corona/monitor.html

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Catering facilities of the Studentenwerk Frankfurt am Main are open. Information on access requirements under corona conditions, on "Mensa to go" and "Mensa to stay", and on distancing and hygiene rules can be found at https://www.studentenwerkfrankfurt.de/en/eat-drink/current-information.

The café "Sturm & Drang" in the auditorium complex on the Westend Campus, operated by CampuService, is temporarily closed against the background of the pandemic (as of January 2022).

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The Centre for University Sports offers a program of online and in-person courses. To participate in the online courses, the "Sportscard" must be booked as a flat rate. In the case of in-person courses, rules concerning contact, hygiene and conduct must be observed.

Information on courses (in German).

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For courses at Goethe University in the 2021/22 winter semester, the 3G rule (vaccinated, recovered or tested)  will apply, respectively the 2G rule on the medical campus in Niederrad. In both cases, once proof has been checked and in compliance with the rule on compulsory masks, the rule on maintaining a minimum distance is lifted during courses. The corresponding hygiene concept must be implemented and adhered to. For study visits and short oral examinations, specific rules on distancing and hygiene concepts apply. 

In-house university events in which staff are obliged to participate, the 3G rule applies. The minimum distance must be maintained, wearing a mask is obligatory even after teaking the seat. For such events, a hygiene concept must be implemented and adhered to. 

For in-house events with external guests in which Goethe University staff are obliged to participate, the 3G rule applies to all participants. The minimum distance must be maintained, wearing a mask is obligatory even after teaking the seat. For such events, a hygiene concept must be submitted to krisenstab@uni-frankfurt.de for checking and approval.
Such events may generally only take place in the 2021/22 winter semester if they are separate from curricular teaching activities in terms of venue and time schedule, i.e. from Monday to Friday after 8:00 pm and at the weekend. If it is ensured that no teaching activities are underway in the building at the same time, the event can also take place within the core hours. 

Events with external guests, receptions, conferences and congresses in which Goethe University staff are not obliged to participate may no longer take place until further notice. 

Until further notice, it is not possible to invite international guests (entering the country from abroad) to events in Goethe University buildings. The only exceptions here are events in Goethe University's guest houses and, in specific cases, curricular teaching activities with international lecturers:

Curricular teaching activities with international lecturers 

To give students and members of Goethe University the possibility to exchange with external international speakers in the framework of the regular curriculum and thus to offer a face-to-face solution in this context as well, the Executive Board has decided to approve access to the university's buildings for international speakers under certain conditions: 

For teaching activities in which the participation of individual international speakers is foreseen as part of the curriculum, a certificate authorising access to university buildings can be issued by way of exception via the respective department. This is conditional on the 2G rule being applied to the speaker and on no other external guests being granted access to the event. 

Excluded are persons who at any time in the ten days prior to entering Germany have been in an area classified at the time of entry as a high-risk area or area of variants of concern. 

The form for the access permit can be found on the coronavirus website in the instructions on access to Goethe University buildings. 

The already valid rule for external persons (from within Germany) not in possession of a GoetheCard, a student ID card issued by Goethe University, etc., but who need to enter the buildings for official reasons or operational requirements (for research and teaching or to maintain technical operations, etc.) remains unaffected. At present, such persons also require an access permit, in addition to the respective 3G proof in accordance with Section 3 of the Coronavirus Protection Ordinance. 

Detailed specifications (distancing and hygiene concepts) for all in-person events can be found in the current respective templates for distancing and hygiene concepts in the Coronavirus Toolbox.

Pocket transmitters/headsets cannot be borrowed and used as long as the pandemic continues. It is not possible to disinfect the headsets. 

Only handheld microphones can be used at the present time. 

However, the Media Technology staff at the University Computing Centre can help all faculties/teaching staff planning to purchase their own headsets at the faculty's expense. 

Please simply order the headsets via mt-support@uni-frankfurt.de. 

Once the headsets have been purchased, the costs are charged via the cost transfer form. Please complete it (including the cost centre) and send it to mt-support@uni-frankfurt.de. The Accounts Department will then transfer the costs. 

Headset models used in university buildings/rooms: 

• In the rooms of H1-H6 in Otto Stern Centre, “ARS Akustika HS790SO" headsets can be used. They cost about € 110.00 including VAT.
• In all other rooms on the Westend, Riedberg, Bockenheim and Ginnheim campuses, we rely on “Beyerdynamic TG-H56" headsets, which cost about € 150.00 including VAT. 

Should you have any questions, please contact mt-support@uni-frankfurt.de.

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The State of Hessen has set up a hotline for citizens' questions regarding coronavirus, Tel.: 0800/555-4666, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 20:00.