COVID-19: Information for staff

Isolation concerns the person tested positive or showing symptoms.

Quarantine refers to the untested and asymptomatic person who has had direct high-risk contact with a person who has tested positive. The contact is considered "high risk" if it lasted a cumulative time of 15 minutes or more and at a distance of less than 1.5 metres without wearing a mask for one or both persons. The contact can also be considered "high risk" by the "Coronalert" application or if people have been driving together in the same means of transportation for more than 15 minutes, even with the mask on. In other cases, the contact is considered "low risk".

At UCLouvain, teleworking is possible, either on a structural basis through the establishment of a teleworking agreement, or on an occasional basis, subject to the prior agreement of the line manager. The manager can refuse because the function of the staff member does not lend itself to it or because the needs of the department or entity do not allow it.

If you have symptoms, you cannot go to work, you must isolate yourself and, unless there is a medical counter-order, get tested. You must inform your line manager of your absence and justify it with a medical certificate to be sent to ARH.

You must invite him to see a doctor and to go into isolation. As far as you are concerned, you must not be in quarantine unless, in the specific case where the symptomatic person lives under the same roof, the doctor requests it.

Being "close" is not the relevant criterion for judging what action should be taken. Rather, the nature of the contact should be considered: a person should be placed in quarantine if he or she has had direct high-risk contact with a person who has tested positive (and therefore in isolation). However, contact that is only indirect (contact with a person in quarantine) does not lead to quarantine.

All the "relatives" of a positive person do not therefore necessarily have to be quarantined; only those who have had direct high-risk contact with the positive person should be quarantined.

Warning: living under the same roof as a person who has tested positive is considered by default to be direct high-risk contact. If the relative in question is positive and lives under the same roof as you, you must therefore place yourself in quarantine.

In addition, if you live in the same household as a sick person waiting for test results, quarantine is also recommended immediately. Only in this very special situation is quarantine provided in the event of high-risk contact with a person who is infected with covid 19.

It is not allowed to place yourself in "auto-quarantine" (even if you can identify yourself as a high-risk direct contact). The self-quarantine, which is a unilateral decision not to go to the workplace, is not included in labour legislation and is not a right of the staff member. At the request of the line manager, any absence must be justified by a quarantine certificate. Otherwise, it is possible to telework on an ad hoc basis, with the prior agreement of the line manager, or to take leave.

If you have been in contact within the last 48 hours with a close person who has tested positive, being a high-risk direct contact, you must quarantine yourself and get tested.

If you have symptoms and are unable to work, you must inform your line manager of your absence and justify it with a medical certificate to be sent to the HRA.

If you are not ill or have mild symptoms that allow you to work, you must inform your line manager of your absence, check with him or her whether occasional teleworking can be arranged and, if he or she so requests, send a quarantine certificate to the ARH.

Quarantine begins as soon as you learn that you have had high-risk contact. It lasts until the 7th day after the last exposure, if the test performed at that time is negative.
If the test is positive, you enter isolation (which is stricter than quarantine). This ends 10 days after the onset of symptoms, on the double condition that the possible fever has disappeared since the 4th day and that the other possible symptoms have subsided. If you are asymptomatic, the isolation ends 10 days after the test.
If you have symptoms despite a negative test, you will also enter isolation. This ends as soon as the state of health allows it.

First of all, you are invited to inform the university of your positivity via this form, in order to allow internal UCLouvain tracing. The university is thus aware of the epidemiological situation on its sites (by faculty, institute, department, etc.) and can, via a specially trained internal tracer team, ensure the follow-up of contacts within the exclusive framework of its activities at UCLouvain. All of these operations are carried out in compliance with the laws relating to the respect of privacy.

If you are unable to work, a medical certificate must be sent to the ARH. If you are not ill or have mild symptoms that allow you to work, you must inform your line manager of your absence, check with him or her whether occasional teleworking can be set up and, if he or she so requests, send a quarantine certificate to the ARH.

The line manager must invite the member of his or her team to inform the university of his or her positivity via this form, in order to allow internal UCLouvain tracing. In this way, the university is aware of the epidemiological situation on its sites (by faculty, institute, department, etc.) and can, via a specially trained internal tracing team, ensure the follow-up of contacts within the exclusive framework of its activities at UCLouvain. All of these operations are carried out in compliance with the laws relating to the respect of privacy.

You can send your questions to personnel-sante@uclouvain.be.

At present, a teacher who teaches a course must wear a mask.

Due to the difficulty of being audible in a large audience, for class groups of more than 50 students, the teacher is exempted from wearing a mask if a physical distance of at least 3 metres from the students is respected.

Teachers are advised to wash their hands before and after class with soap in the sanitary facilities, which are thoroughly cleaned twice a day.
Dispensers of hydroalcoholic solution are also placed in the different buildings.
The cleaning of the auditoriums, classrooms, libraries and information rooms, including the shelves and tables, is carried out by the cleaning service every morning.
In the computer rooms, practical training rooms and libraries, paper towel and antistatic cleaner dispensers are installed to clean computer surfaces and keyboards.
In the auditoriums, it is not technically possible for each student to clean his or her tablet between classes (management of flows, management of used paper, compliance with timetables, etc.).
Each student should be advised to respect the basic rules (wearing a mask - respecting the distance - washing hands) and to use and clean regularly the protective underhand (individual and washable) received in Q1.
As regards the auditoriums and computer rooms equipped with a mechanical ventilation system, this has been adapted to meet the needs of a health situation such as the one we are dealing with.

No, you should not take attendance. It is the health team of the Help Service which is in charge of managing and tracing positive cases if necessary. It is only asked that teachers who have been informed by a student of their positivity at COVID inform the administrative management of the faculty.

If a professor receives information from a student that he or she is positive for COVID, the professor shall inform the administrative director of the faculty. The latter will refer the matter to the Health Team of the Help Desk.

You will find the capacity of the audiences according to health codes as well as their technical characteristics (including their equipment) at the following address: https://intranet.uclouvain.be/fr/myucl/administrations/adpi/auditoires.html. This information is presented by site.

Concerning the audiovisual equipment allowing the retransmission of an activity, from 14 September 2020, all tiered audiences (G) will be equipped with the "Poly Studio" system, which allows the course to be filmed for retransmission by teams: the camera automatically focuses on the teacher, but it can also remain in a fixed shot on the blackboard with a simple command. This equipment will be managed by GPLO.  

For any request to carry out a test of the use of the poly studio in a real situation, in the already equipped auditoriums: an email to 8787@uclouvain.be (audience management).

In addition, backpacks containing mobile equipment will be available, from 14 September, at the faculty reception desk (to be reserved in advance) for lessons given in auditoriums with mobile furniture, flat-bottomed or managed by the faculty. This equipment will also allow for the retransmission by teams in good conditions.

Resources and training courses are offered by the Louvain Learning Lab.

As soon as they are registered at the university, but without waiting for their application to be validated by SIC, newly arrived Bac 1 and Master's students will receive a provisional NOMA allowing them to connect to the platforms and thus receive information on the organisation of the courses.

The teacher does not have to do anything; it is the student who has to register for the courses, the Teams classes and the Moodle courses, using the links provided.

The Student Support Service can analyse their state of need and, if necessary, provide them with assistance, financial or otherwise, in order to obtain a PC. Concerned students are invited to submit an application here.

In the meantime, they should not hesitate to go to the University's computer rooms in accordance with the health regulations in force.

Before departure, your line manager must complete the BTA (Bussiness Travel Abroad). On your return, you will need to complete the Passenger Locator Form.

All information can be found on this page.

If you return from a red zone, you must place yourself in quarantine for 10 days and get tested at the earliest on the 7th day. For more information, visit the website of the FPS Foreign Affairs.

As this is an unavoidable expense in the context of a professional mission, the amount paid should be reimbursed via an expense account. The proof of expenditure must be attached as usual, together with proof of the mission.

In the event of a compulsory test, it is requested that it be carried out in Belgium.

Business or private travel of less than 48 hours is permitted regardless of the colour of the area concerned, with no quarantine or testing required on return. No Passenger Locator Form is required unless you are travelling by plane or boat from any place of departure, and if you are travelling by train or bus from a country outside the European Union and the Schengen area.

See below "How do I get a certificate to go to my workplace?"

In the event of a compulsory test, it is requested that it be carried out on arrival in Belgium and not in the country of origin.

If you would like fabric masks, please contact the SIPP by e-mail.

Paper masks are also available through the ACHA service. These masks (type II R) can be obtained at the Lavoisier building in LLN (open from 9 to 12.00 am). They are part of a group purchase organised by the Union Wallonne des Entreprises and meet the COVID 19 sanitary requirements.

They are sold in boxes of 50 pieces at a price of 31.8 € VAT included. For the moment and in order to satisfy the maximum number of people, the order is limited to 5 boxes of 50 pieces.

Wearing a mask is compulsory for teachers except for large class groups of more than 50 students, in auditoriums that allow a distance of 3m from the students.

However, visors are available for teachers who are not in the classroom:

• Have a certificate that does not allow the wearing of a mask
• Wish to wear a visor in an auditorium where the wearing of masks is not mandatory (which allows a distance of 3m from the students)
• Wish to wear a visor in addition to the mask

Visors are available and can be removed:

• At the Lavoisier shop in LLN
• At the central shop in Woluwe 
• At Marc Francq's in Mons
• At Vincent Filleul's in Tournai
• At the secretariat in St-Gilles

The ACHA service can provide you with cleaning or disinfecting solution.

To obtain a hydro-alcoholic solution, please make a request using this form.

300 5L dispensers have been set up in densely occupied areas, in places where washing with soap and water is not possible (libraries, computer rooms, auditoriums, learning centres, etc.). 5L represents 4000 sprays. Entities are asked to avoid purchasing additional dispensers in a decentralised manner for reasons of supply monitoring, installation costs and fire prevention. Would you like to obtain an additional 5L distributor? You can justify your request at sipp-lln@uclouvain.be. This will be analysed according to the local situation (traffic flow, occupancy density, desired location, possible alternative).

Hand washing or hydro-alcoholic solution?

In general, hand washing with soap and water is to be preferred over the use of hydro-alcoholic gel. After 2 to 3 daily uses, the gel dries the hands and can cause some eczema in people who already have dry skin problems.

Fire prevention

The hydra-alcoholic solution is a flammable product. Preventive measures :

• Do not store several bottles on your premises
• Avoid any hot spot or naked flame
• Move the vials to hermetically sealed containers in retention bins

In case of spillage:

• Try to contain the puddle
• Prevent permanence

In case of fire:

• Call the emergency number
• Make sure the fire doors are closed
• Do not use water
• Use fire extinguishers if you are trained

The use of such gloves gives a false sense of security and one does not wash one's hands any more or less, whereas with the gloved hand one can also touch one's mouth, nose or eyes. You can also touch door handles, taps and other contact surfaces and thus contribute to the spread of the virus.

For these reasons the wearing of gloves is strongly discouraged in the corridors, technical halls and public places of UCLouvain.

If they are to be worn, they are only to be worn for a specific activity, a specific task, for a single use and they must be thrown away directly and systematically after each use.

It should also be noted that, based on current knowledge, on dry paper or cardboard, at an ambient temperature of + or - 20°C and an ambient humidity of 50-60%, the virus does not survive for more than a few hours to 24 hours at the most. The longer durations found in some studies have been measured under ideal heat and humidity conditions for viruses (35-37°C - 70-100% relative humidity), which in principle are not found in UCLouvain premises.

If you are unable to work at home from home, and your presence is therefore required at your place of work, you must ask your line manager for a travel certificate. There are two types of attestation : an ordinary attestation and an attestation for night work.

In addition, staff members residing in France must complete, download and print a Belgian certificate of honour and a French certificate of honour, to be carried at all times. It should be noted that these cross-border staff members are exempt from PCR testing.

Please send an e-mail (a scan or a quality photo of your certificate) to certificats-medicaux@uclouvain.be.

If this is not already the case and if it would solve the problem, do not hesitate to ask your line manager for the possibility of teleworking.

If teleworking itself is not possible and if you have at least one child enrolled in a nursery or primary school or in a situation of disability, you have the possibility, only between 29 March and 2 April 2021, to take two days of exceptional leave offered by the Rectoral Council.

For the rest, in addition to the legal and conventional leaves, you can contact your remuneration manager (remuneration@uclouvain.be) in order to benefit from the imperative leaves (4 paid and 6 unpaid days for a full time employee) or the temporary unemployment for force majeure.

In the context of the vaccination campaign, staff members who receive an invitation for vaccination during working hours are entitled to be absent from work for the time necessary. Necessary time means not half a day or a full day off work, but only the time needed to be vaccinated.

You should inform your line manager and/or functional manager as soon as possible of the time slot during which you will be vaccinated, in order to cause as little disruption as possible to the organisation of work. The easiest way to do this is to provide your manager with a copy of the summons.

In the case of a last-minute summons via the QVAX or Bru-VAX reserve list, you must inform your line manager and/or functional manager directly. It is not possible to be absent if the work in progress does not allow it (e.g. exam supervision, an experiment in progress,...).

The usual rules are in force.

UCLouvain's working rules allow administrative and technical staff to carry over a balance of a maximum of 60h48 (8 days) until the end of February of the following year. In view of these circumstances, greater flexibility for taking the 2020 leave for all contract staff (administrative and technical and scientific) is granted. Therefore, as an exception, a deferral of the balance of the leave of a maximum of 76 hours (10 days) for a full time employee will be allowed until the end of the Easter holidays in 2021, i.e. 16 April 2021 inclusive. This balance will be pro-rated for those working part-time.

It will not be allowed to carry over any more leave to 2021 for reasons related to VIDOC-19.
Each manager is asked to ensure that, as a minimum, the remainder of the leave is planned and taken by their team members. Indeed, in these particular times of containment, the balance between work and private life is delicate to achieve. However, it is very important to give yourself time for yourself, to give yourself a moment to recharge your batteries and to disconnect.

As a reminder, as a rule, holidays can be taken in one or more instalments but that the staff member must, for the good organisation of the service, take at least three full weeks, two of which must be consecutive.

Yes, teleworkers are insured, in principle during their working hours, against accidents at work as if they were in the company.

In view of the exceptional circumstances related to Covid-19, the insurers are well aware that the working hours can be adapted to the situation of each worker, for example because of daytime childcare during the day; they should be flexible as regards the burden of proof. Nevertheless, and in order to avoid any discussion, please, as far as possible, inform your manager if you owe a large part of your normal working hours.

Although journeys are limited during this period of confinement, we would like to remind you of the rules concerning journeys: accidents during specific journeys are covered by the occupational accident insurance:

• Teleworkers are taken care of the return journey to and from school/day-care centre as a way to work (time diversion cannot be too different from working hours)
• Teleworkers are paid for the return journey to and from their place of residence to the place where lunch is taken (same rules as for those working on site)

If you are the victim of an accident, a declaration of an accident at work must be made to the UCLouvain insurance department.

UCLouvain does not allow staff members who normally have to work at one of the UCLouvain sites to telework from abroad, except for cross-border commuters.

A listening service is available at 02 761 17 74 from Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. By mentioning that you work at UCLouvain and that this is a call within the framework of COVID-19, you can benefit from up to 3 one-hour sessions, with a prevention counsellor in psychosocial aspects and, if necessary, a clinical psychologist. Each person is heard in complete confidentiality and anonymity, if they wish.

You can also, if you wish, talk to a member of the hierarchy or contact :

• the Support Unit of the Human Resources Administration
• the trustworthy person of your choice or the prevention counsellor psychosocial aspects (CPAP) of the external service for prevention and protection at work (SEPPT)
• a member of the Committee for Prevention and Protection at Work (CPPT)
• a member of the trade union delegation

ASPU sports activities are suspended.