LETTER OF ADVICE FROM OUR INFECTIOUS DISEASES EXPERT: ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, C.TSIOUTIS

Dear students,

The whole world is going through dramatic changes that have significantly affected our daily lives. As the situation with the COVID19 pandemic evolves, here are some tips for you to make the most of your time, wherever you might be right now:

Keep in touch with your friends and family: either through chat, the phone or the social media, try to socialize daily, but limit your physical contact as much as possible.

Keep track of your EUC email and the EUC website, for updates on your studies. Our semester is fully running online and there is no need to lose time from your daily academic activity.

Find ways to enforce your scientific capacity: study those subjects that you wanted to improve upon, read papers, discuss with your peers and your professors, enhance your network, come up with new ideas, use your free time to achieve your future goals.

Watch the news but don’t get carried away: you are medical students and scientists; seek for evidence-based information through official channels, the medical literature and guidelines.

Eat well, sleep well, keep hydrated and exercise: physical restrictions don’t necessarily mean that you can’t remain active and healthy at home.

Find ways to entertain yourself every day: take a break from the turmoil every day, by reading literature, watching movies, playing games online or with your family, chatting with your friends, or taking up hobbies.

Be creative: home isolation doesn’t mean stagnation. This is a great opportunity to unravel your talents, or discover new ones.

Coronoviruses are a family of viruses known to cause respiratory infections, from common cold to severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). The most recent threat is COVID-19 which has been categorised as a Pandemic by the World Health Organisation .
Our main concern is to keep all our staff, faculty and students SAFE! Re-opening is something that depends solely on the state of the outbreak. 
FALL 2020 Final exams will be completed online.
Spring semester 2021 will run inclusively ONLINE. Students should follow the weekly schedule to attend their sessions online.
Students currently completing their clinical training rotations will have to show some patients as our CTC team is working around the clock to secure placements for everyone. 
We will re-evaluate a hybrid system later on
PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY PHYSICAL ATTENDANCE ON CAMPUS REQUIRES THAT YOU WEAR A MASK-at the moment no one is allowed on campus unless employed by the university or they have an appointment.
If you wish to contact any Faculty/Staff please send your inquiry through email. 
We do not have an exact date of when we can return to the university campus, but please check your emails regularly for any updates. We understand these emails may seem long but they are laid out with ALL the details you need to know. 

 

The best way to protect ourselves from catching the virus is by avoiding any unnecessary human contact.
Follow BASIC HYGIENE ROUTINES, especially for the hands and avoid touching your face.
Make yourself aware of the latest updates and information available on the COVID-19 outbreak but ensure your resources are reliable and representative of the overall population. This will help avoid panic, uncontrollable shopping and emptying pharmacies of medication that could be crucial for someone who really needs it.
Also keep up-to-date with your national and local public health authority. This will inform you about the situation where you are but also the restrictions put in place for your own protection.
Find additional advice by the WHO here.
Parties, dinner tables or any form of gathering is limited to 10 people within your home and as this might make the holiday table feel poor, don’t forget to take advantage of technology, like video calls. Remember you are keeping your loved ones safe, healthy and alive.
Travel restrictions have been lifted however there are procedures, rules and regulations in action depending on your country. These change on a daily basis so please do a search before you book any of your travels.
No one will be penalized if restricted in their country due to COVID-19. The Spring semester will start with all classes being conducted through our online systems, “Moodle” and Blackboard”. 
Please keep in mind we are keeping up-to-date with all updates on restrictions and Covid-19 cases around the world. 

 

If you have ANY concerns or suspicions that you may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and you are in Cyprus, please contact 1420 and for general information regarding the virus contact 1450 for further information and advice. They will also provide information on where you need to go and who to speak to.
If you are abroad please contact the respective numbers. 
You may choose to inform your personal doctors in case you experience any of the symptoms

 

Regarding your clinical training kindly note our CTC team is keeping up to date with ALL measures the government is undertaking to ensure your safety. Clinical Rotations will commence on the 17th of August and end 22nd December.
 If you have any personal concerns for your rotations in CYPRUS please contact Charalambos Pittas, Ourania Antoniou or Theodora Tyllirou. If you have any concerns about your clinical training abroad then please contact Sophia Themistocleous 
Before attempting to send an email however, please keep in mind we are receiving a large load of emails due to the current situation. So please allow us some time to get back to you.
Students who have learning disabilities are entitled to extra time for each exam. However please note they will be taking the exam at the same time as everyone else but hopefully in a different virtual exam room.
If any of our fellow students with learning disabilities wants to have an oral exam, s/he has to communicate it with their instructor in advance
Travel regulations: 
Specific instructions for travelling to Cyprus:
  1. Register to the Cyprus flight pass before travelling back to Cyprus. Present the completed pass at the airport. The flight pass provides passengers with necessary updated information related to their trip. (link: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy)
  2.  All necessary protocols for travellers are listed here:
    https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/en/pdf/18_1oen.pdf(English)
    https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/pdf/18_1o.pdf(Greek)
  3.  Information on stratification of countries according to their current COVID-19 situation is found in the
    following links: 
https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/fly.html (Greek)
https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/en/fly.html (English)
Categorization of countries is based on the risk/epidemiology, which changes weekly. This is a dynamic list and might change even daily, therefore anyone who plans to travel is suggested to keep close track of relevant updates.
As regards to testing, the following recommendations are suggested currently according to the category of the counties visited:
Category A (similar epidemiology to Cyprus): no test required. Sample testing will take place upon arrival (no isolation) and the randomly selected travellers will be notified.
Category B (higher risk compared to Cyprus): test is required within 72 hours before traveling. Those who travel from Category B countries don’t need to stay in home isolation, but still need to be careful with their close contacts and as all travellers, need to be vigilant in case of COVID19-related symptoms, in which case they should immediately contact a doctor or 1420. 
Category C: all other countries, from which travelling is allowed under specific circumstances – testing and 14-day mandatory home isolation is required (https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/press/5052020_6a.pdf). Additionally, they should test 48 hours before isolation ends (https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/en/press/13082020_1.pdf).
More information on travelling & categorization here: https://cyprusflightpass.gov.cy/  
Tips and advice while travelling:
Get informed early about local guidance on personal protective measures.
Complete all necessary forms and documents before travelling.
When travelling, follow general personal protective measures at all times:
  • avoid crowding and closed confined spaces;
  • keep your distances;
  • keep a hand antiseptic with you and perform hand hygiene often;
  • keep a set of masks to use as mandated by each country and specifically, in closed or crowded spaces, including airports and airplanes;
  • keep a set of antiseptic tissues to clean any surfaces;
  • remember to dispose of your single-use masks or wash appropriately if you use a rewashable cloth mask. 
Social and physical distancing measures and precautions
These are regularly updated on https://www.pio.gov.cy/coronavirus/en/info.html. The most important are mandatory mask use in closed spaces & avoiding crowded and closed spaces. 
It is also advised that students avoid visiting EUC premises in August if not absolutely necessary.   
In case you present with any COVID19-suggestive symptoms, stay isolated at home and immediately contact a doctor or your personal doctor. Common symptoms include fever, fatigue, muscle aches, dry cough, sore throat, smell or taste disturbances.
Symptom self-checking:  self-check for symptoms with at least temperature checking twice a day. 

 

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