PhD and corona

General guidelines

What do I do when I get a cold, sneeze and/or cough frequently, have a sore throat or start developing a fever?

• Stay at home
• Call 0800-1202 for an appointment to be tested. This number is
  available from 8AM till 8PM. Please find more information about testing
  for COVID-19 on this site of the government: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/coronavirus-test

• Call the General practitioner if you are very short of breath or have a high fever, or if you are concerned.

  • When you do not have a GP see:  https://www.zorgkaartnederland.nl/huisarts/wageningen

    Call 112 in a life-threatening situation.

• Avoid contact with others.
• Go in to self-quarantine until you recieve the results of the test

What does self-quarantine mean?

• Stay at the place where you are in quarantine. Do not receive visitors.
• During the self-quarantine period do not travel or go to another location in the Netherlands.
• If you do not develop symptoms that could be caused by coronavirus, you can end the self-quarantine after 10 days.

The following rules apply during self-quarantine:

• Do not use public transport.
• Do not visit the Campus of WUR.
• Nobody may visit you, except for medical purposes (for example, a doctor or a GGD official).
• If you need medical assistance do not go to your doctor or the hospital, but phone the doctor instead.
• Ask other people to do grocery shopping for you.

Dutch vaccination policy for international PhD candidates

Getting vaccinated

All international students (and researchers) over the age of 18 who are staying in the Netherlands for a period longer than 1 month and are registered in the BRP (Municipal Personal Records Database) will be eligible for a vaccination against covid-19.

The BRP registration will take place when you register your living address in Wageningen with the municipality.

If you want to make an appointment with the municipal health service (GGD) for a COVID-19 vaccination you can do this online (https://coronatest.nl/) or by calling 0800 7070. At some locations you can get vaccinated without an appointment.

You will receive either the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine or the Moderna vaccine.

For more information please check this website: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/dutch-vaccination-programme/making-an-appointment-for-vaccination

Coronavirus entry pass

In the Netherlands everyone aged 13 and over must show a coronavirus entry pass at certain locations, for example to go to a restaurant, the cinema or museum.

Please check the following website for more information: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-certificate/coronavirus-entry-pass

To activate the coronaCheck-app please check this website: https://coronacheck.nl/en

Getting proof of vaccination after being vaccinated outside the Netherlands

When you plan to travel to the Netherlands and you already got a vaccination in your home country, make sure to bring your vaccination certificate.

More information about getting proof of vaccination after being vaccinated outside the Netherlands you can find on the following website: https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/covid-certificate/proof-of-vaccination/vaccinated-outside-the-netherlands

Delay PhD programme irt COVID-19

The general aim of Wageningen University is that all started projects can be finished. Because each PhD and Post-Doc project is unique (discipline, methods, stage, etc.), tailor-made solutionsare needed to reduce experienced or expected delays of individual PhD and Post-Doc projects or enable extensions. PhD candidates, Post-Docs and (co)promotor(s) should carefully consider the following options to minimise delays in individual PhD programmes.

1. Focus temporarily on other work of your PhD.
2. Rearrange planned studies.
3. Redesign your studies
4. Consider the requirements for a thesis.
5. Buy more time through an extension. Discuss with the funding organisation(s) of your project whether an extension of your contract
   and project is possible.

Travel guidelines and self-quarantine

The Government of the Netherlands has decided to lift the European Union (EU) entry ban for the Netherlands as of 17 September 2022.This means that as of that date no covid-19 related restrictions or requirements apply to travellers entering the Netherlands.

PhD research

• On campus research by PhD candidates can continue if the research activities follow the regulations and guidelines of Wageningen
  University & Research (https://www.wur.nl/en.htm). PhD candidates should consult their promotor and jointly decide the
  best way forward. This may include decisions on continuation or termination of already started field and/or laboratory research.
• Laboratories and experimental farms where research is conducted may have developed specific rules following the containment of the
  Coronavirus. Be aware of these new rules and in case of uncertainties discuss your research with the head of the laboratory and/or the manager of experimental farm.

BSc/MSc supervision and teaching

• Experimental bachelor and master thesis research may continue.
• If you – as a PhD candidate  – are involved in BSc and/or MSc education please see the dedicated communication for teachers. The course coordinator or your chairholder will be able to provide them.

PhD defences

All PhD defences are held physically in the Aula and from May 10 in the Omnia Auditorium.

The livestream for public defences can be found at the WUR Yuja homepage . In the Events box (upper left of the screen) the link will appear five minutes before the start of the defence.

Defence in the Aula/Omnia Auditorium

• One, or after approval by the Dean of Research two, opponent(s) are allowed to attend the defence online. So, minimal three (or after approval two) opponents have to be present, including at least one WUR (associate) professor.
• The PhD candidate, at least one promotor and the first WUR opponent have to be present in the Aula.
• From 18 February 2022 on, there is no restriction to the maximum number of guests.
• From 25 February 2022 on, wearing a facemasks is not compulsory anymore but still advised when moving and when it is busy.