On this page, we have gathered information about covid-19 for staff at the University of Gothenburg. The university continuously monitors the situation and follows the authorities' recommendations. Updated 13 January 2022.
Can't find the answer to your question? Send an email to corona@gu.se.
The Government and the Public Health Agency of Sweden have decided on new rules and recommendations to limit the spread of covid-19, which applies from 8 and 23 December. On 11 January 2022, the government also announced new measures for the higher education institutions.
The Vice-chancellor has decided that the following will apply from 12 January:
The vaccination offers strong protection against serious illness and the spread of COVID-19. The University urges all students and staff to get vaccinated. Staff can get vaccinated against COVID-19 during working hours, but the leave must be agreed with your manager.
Vaccination against COVID-19 (1177.se)
Also, pay attention to new symptoms such as a sore throat, runny nose, fever, cough or feeling generally unwell. Stay home and get tested for COVID-19 if you have these or other symptoms of a respiratory infection. If someone in your household falls ill with COVID-19 you will also need to stay home.
To reduce the risk of the spread of infection, it is important that the university quickly finds out if an employee or student who has tested positive for covid-19, has been on the university's premises or on an internship, excursion or similar and there met other employees or students, during infectious period.
Read more: In case of infection at the university
The questions and answers may be updated with short notice, as recommendations and restrictions may change. The University is following developments carefully and update the informations continuously. Can't find the answer to your question? Send an email to corona@gu.se.
Krisinformation: Proposal for measures to reduce the spread of Covid-19 (news 23 Nov 2021)
No. Dissertations are seen as an examination and are thus exempt from rules regarding public gatherings. Even if the dissertation is not to be regarded as a public gathering, we all still have a responsibility to try to minimize the risk of the spread of infection. The Swedish Public Health Agency has good information on what to think about in order to protect yourself and others on your website.
The possibility to conduct dissertations partly at a distance, and at the same time livestreaming the dissertation, to both invited guests and the general public remains.
In the study administration handbook, you will find a guide that is useful in cases where the dissertation is partly carried out at a distance. You can contact your department for help with booking a Webinar via Zoom if you want to take advantage of that opportunity.
The Administrative Handbook for Doctoral Education about COVID-19 (in Swedish)
Although the dissertation is not to be regarded as a public gathering, we all have a responsibility to try to minimize the risk of the spread of infection. The Swedish Public Health Agency has good information on what to think about in order to protect yourself and others on your website.
Please note that if and when new recommendations are introduced, this may happen at short notice. This means that what applies today may not apply when it is time for your dissertation. Also note that there may be differences regarding recommendations between the university's activities (examination / dissertation) and subsequent dissertation party, which falls under the regulations for private gatherings, even if it takes place within the university's premises.
No, the employer can not do that. The employer also has no right to demand information if you have been vaccinated and the reasons behind your decision. Work in the workplace will be planned based on the needs of the organisation in accordance with current guidelines, regardless of whether employees are vaccinated or not.
In order to limit the spread of infection, however, the university will continue to investigate risks in the workplace and take precautionary measures. If the risk assessment shows risks of infection in a workplace, the employer can invite the employee to a dialogue about protective measures in the workplace, encourage the employee to get vaccinated and facilitate vaccination, by, for example, giving the opportunity to be vaccinated during working hours.
On the other hand, situations may arise where the employer needs to make changes to the tasks, so that certain specified tasks may only be performed by fully vaccinated employees. Then it is necessary that the entire work situation is assessed and that there are special reasons based on the needs of the organisation, for example that the employee has patient contact. There may also be situations where vaccination becomes necessary for you to be able to fulfill your duties, for example when traveling abroad where the other country or place you are going to visit has set requirements for vaccination.
By vaccinating yourself, you can protect yourself from getting sick and also reduce the risk of infecting others. No vaccine provides 100% protection from becoming infected, but all covid vaccines used in Sweden provide good protection against serious symptoms of COVID-19. Vaccination against COVID-19 is voluntary and free of charge.
Yes. Staff should be given the opportunity to leave work without salary deductions to be vaccinated against covid-19. The leave must be agreed with your manager so that University operations is not negatively affected, for example forced to close.
While there is no demand for a Swedish citizenship or Swedish personal identity number (personnummer), you must be able to stay long enough in Sweden to receive both doses of the vaccine in order to book it. The vaccination is free of charge.
If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number you will receive a temporary number when getting the first dose of the vaccine, you will have to save this number until you receive the second dose.
Please note: You can get vaccinated but not obtain proof of the vaccination, if you do not have a Swedish personal identity number and no coordination number. The Swedish eHealth Agency is working on a solution but have no estimated time on when this might be available.
Please read through the information found on Vaccination against covid-19 before you book an appointment
Vaccination will be provided at health centres, hospitals and at certain private vaccination centres. When it is time for your age group to book the vaccine, you can see available times and places on the webpage Se var det finns lediga tider och boka tid (Swedish only). If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number (personnummer) or foreign e-ID you must phone to set up your time.
Before the vaccination, you must fill out a health declaration. It is possible to so on site, but it is recommended that you do so beforehand to minimize the risk of congestion on site and speed up the process.
Available clinics för vaccination in Västra Götaland (in Swedish)
Vaccination against COVID-19 (1177.se)
Health declaration Adult – vaccination against COVID-19
Questions and answers about covid-19 vaccines and vaccination (Krisinformation.se)
The The Swedish eHealth Agency has a FAQ on their webpage about the Digital COVID Certificate.
The eHealth Agency has information about the COVID Certificate on their webpage
If you do not have a Swedish personal identity number and no coordination number your vaccination against COVID-19 has been registered under what is known as a reserve number. You can now obtain a digital vaccination certificate by contacting the healthcare system in the region where you were vaccinated.
COVID certificate when you have been registered under a reserve number (the Swedish eHealth Agency)
Talk to your line manager. When the recommendations to work from home no longer exist, there will not be as many opportunities to work from home. The gradual return to the workplace eill be planned based on the needs of the organisation and the assessment of work environment risks.
If you have a medical certificate proving that you belong to a risk group for COVID-19, the employer must assess the needs for work adaptation and take appropriate adaptation measures. Staff who belong to a risk group or live with a person in a risk group, should, after agreement with the immediate supervisor, as far as possible continue to be provided with the opportunity to work from home. If it is not possible to adapt your current job, it may be relevant with partly other tasks.
The temporary compensation for risk groups expires from 1 October 2021.
Staff who lives with a person in a risk group shpuld talk to their line manager, and by agreement, as far as possible, continue to be provided with the opportunity for temporary homework, provided that it is appropriate in view of the work tasks. If it is not possible to adapt your current job, it may be relevant with partly other tasks.
No. You should stay home if you feel ill with a runny nose, sore throat, a cough, fever, a general feeling of illness or other symptoms of COVID-19. This applies regardless of whether you are fully vaccinated or not.
Get tested for COVID-19 if you develop symptoms. This applies both you who are vaccinated and to you who are not vaccinated. If you have had a confirmed COVID-19 infection in the past six months you do not need to get tested.
Public Health Agency of Sweden: What to do if you feel ill
Please go to the Public Health Agency of Sweden’s (Folkhälsomyndigheten) website to find more information about when you should stay at home and for how long. It is your immediate manager who, based on the needs of the organisation and in consultation with you, decides to what extent it is possible to work wholly or partly from home
Public Health Agency of Sweden: What to do if you feel ill
Yes, if you have met employees or students in or outside the university premises during a period when you may have been infected, you must notify your manager to reduce the risk of the spread of infection.
Please note that dialogue about infection, illness and risk of infection should be conducted by phone and not emailed, with the exception of the formal emails described in the step-by-step guides on the manager’s responsibility.
Staff Portal: In case of infection at the University
No. You only need to tell about a positive covid test if you have met staff or students, in or outside the university's premises during a period when you may have been contagious. You also need to notify your line manager if you think you yourself may have been infected in the workplace.
Everyone, regardless of having a Swedish personal identity number or not, must get tested if they show symptoms of COVID-19. Testing is free of charge. If you do not have a Swedish ID Number/Bank ID you have to book a time via the phone. You cannot book an appointment online or go to drop-in times.
Testing can be done at any of the health care centers listed on the webpage PCR-test Göteborg (Region Västra Götaland)
If you don’t know which health care centre is closest top you, you can use this map listing Healt care centers on 1177.se
No, if you want to be tested you should contact your local clinic.
Find your local clinic on 1177 Vårdguiden
Employees who have been contacted by a student who has tested positive for COVID-19 must notify their boss, or the student's head of department / course leader (depending on the situation) this, if the student has met staff or students in or outside the university's premises during a period when the student may have been infected.
As there is no decision yet, the current rules (2021-12-08) apply. Questions and answers will be updated as soon as we know more.
From 1 October, the temporary competnsation for the cost of sick pay will end. However, the e-services are still available on the Swedish Social Insurance Agency's, so you can still apply for compensation for days before 1 October 2021. You report sick in Primula in the usual way.
As of 1st October 2021, several compensations that were introduced during the corona pandemic will end. This means that you have to present a doctor's certificate for the emplyer from your 8th sick day. From yout 15th sick day, you have to send in a doctor's certificate to Försäkringskassan. This applies if your first day of illness is from 1 October 2021. Do not forget to report your sick leave in Primula from the first day of illness.
If someone in the household has COVID-19, you will be contacted by the care and given rules of conduct. The rules tell you what you need to do to not spread the infection further.
If you have:
It is your immediate manager who, based on the needs of the organisation and in consultation with you, decides to what extent you can work wholly or partly from home.
The Swedish state sector has agreed to pay a disease carrier allowance rather than the employee having to apply for carrier allowance from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency. This means that no salary deduction will be made. Please note that the absence still must be registered in Primula in the form "Ledighet" (risk smitta).
In order for you to be able to receive disease carrier allowance, either because you yourself are suspected of being infected or because someone in the same household has been found infected and you are covered by rules of conduct, a written certificate from a doctor or equivalent from the first day is normally required.
The government has decided to temporarily remove the requirement for a doctor´s certificate when applying for a disease carrier allowance. You must still be able to certify to your manager that a doctor / equivalent has actually made such a decision in order for the disease carrier allowance to be paid. This applies for applications from 27 December 2021 to 31 March 2022.
Disease carrier allowance from the Swedish Social Insurance Agency may still be relevant if the compensation is exceeding your state salary or if you want to apply for compensation for travels in connection with a doctor's visit.
If the Swedish government or the school's organiser, decides thar your child's preschool / school should be closed, you can receive compensation from Försäkringskassan for childcare, if you refrain from working. This is a temporary rule change that has been extended, and applies until 31 January 2022 at the latest.
The reason for the closing must be due to the recommendation of an infectious disease control doctor or the Public Health Agency of Sweden (Folkhälsomyndigheten), when the chool is in a Folkhälsomyndigheten-designated risk/quarantine zone or when the school can no longer function due to large parts of the staff being ill.
Since the Swedish Social Insurance Agency has different rules for compensation and requirements for a medical certificate, depending on how old your child is, you must find out what applies in your particular case.
You report the leave with temporary parental compensation as you normally would to your employer.
No. The university's regular activities, such as teaching and examination, are not affected by the new recommendations that vaccination certificates can be used at public events and public gatherings that take place indoors.
At the University, the policy decision, and the guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Sweden still apply. Getting vaccinated and staying at home if you have symptoms of a respiratory tract infection remains important.
No. If teaching is canceled, it is to be considered as the whole organisational work is canceled, and that decision can only be made by the senior university officers. On the other hand, the department itself can decide on alternative teaching methods and examination forms.
Managing the switch to online teaching and learning (PIL unit's website)
Hybrid teaching (PIL unit's website)
Using digital tools means there is handling of personal details. See the Administrative Handbook for First- and Second-Cycle Education for more information about recording and streaming remote teaching and examination sessions in relation to GDPR and handling of personal details.
No. The university's regular activities, such as teaching and examination, are not affected by the new recommendations that vaccination certificates can be used at public events and public gatherings that take place indoors.
At the University, the policy decision, and the guidelines from the Public Health Agency of Sweden still apply. Getting vaccinated and staying at home if you have symptoms of a respiratory tract infection remains important.
Due to the government’s plan for phasing out restrictions, it will be possible to write more exams in the examination halls at Viktoriagatan 30, startning in 30 August 2021.
When the exam halls return to regular operations, the Examination Service will keep some of the routines that have been developed during the pandemic and will also increase the distance between seats.
While the exam halls have been closed, it has been possible to hold DISA exams (e-examinations) at home. During the autumn semester, DISA exams at home will be offered, though only with ID checks and not with supervision.
More information:
Examination (Medarbetarportalen)
In the Administrative Handbook for First- and Second-Cycle Education there is a section about COVID-19 and examinations.
The Swedish National Archives encourages public authorities to preserve records concerning Corona or in other ways highlight how the pandemic has affected organisations. Documents from this time are important for society and therefore both for the organisation and future research. It also explains how Sweden as a society handled the crisis.
The Swedish National Archives' Recommendations on Preservation of Records as a Result of Covid-19
Yes, all business trips must be approved by your line manager. Your line manager may also decide to cancel an already planned trip.
No, the University cannot stop your private trip. However, it is important that you keep yourself informed about what rules that apply before you travel.
Different rules may apply depending on your destination and if you are vaccinated. A trip abroad can lead to you having to be quarantined or being subject to restrictions, in other countries as well as when entering Sweden.
If you are not able to work from home, but must stay at home as a consequence of a trip abroad and the Public Health Agency of Sweden's recommendations, you are not at the employer's disposal. You may in this case need to apply for continued vacation or unpaid leave.
The Public Health Agency recommends that all travellers to Sweden get a PCR test for COVID-19 after arrival. The recommendation applies to everyone, including Swedish citizens. Special recommendations apply to those who travel across the border regularly.
While waiting for your test result, you should be extra careful and keep your distance from other people. If you can work from home, you must do so. If you are not able to work from home, you are still entitled to pay since you have been on an ordered business trip.
Recommendations for people entering Sweden from abroad (The Public Health Agency of Sweden)
You can find information about how to get tested for COVID-19 on the healthcare guide 1177, which is the national hub for information and services within healthcare in Sweden.
Getting tested for COVID-19 (1177.se)
You can find more information on theses pages:
The Swedish Polie: Travel to Sweden during the corona pandemic
These webpages are updated with information on developments and recommendations about COVID-19.
Västra Götalandsregionen: Covid-19 (in Swedish)
City of Gothenburg: About covid-19 (in Swedish)
Västtrafik (Public transport): Information about the corona virus
The Government’s work in response to the virus responsible for COVID-19
Official information on the COVID-19 pandemic from Swedish authorities (Krisinformation.se)
Collective information about COVID-19 (Swedish Healthcare guide 1177)
The Public Health Agency of Sweden: FAQ about COVID-19
Försäkringskassan: The coronavirus/covid-19 – applicable regulations
Swedish Migration Agency: Information regarding the coronavirus
The Swedish Work Environment Authority: Coronavirus and workplace safety and health
© University of Gothenburg, Sweden • Postal address: Box 100, SE-405 30 Göteborg
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Phone: +46 31 786 0000 • Contact (gu.se) • Organisation number: 202100-3153, VAT No SE202100315301
This page is printed from the following webpage:
https://medarbetarportalen.gu.se/News/coronavirus/?selectedSegment=vaccination-against-covid-19&languageId=100001&skipSSOCheck=true
Print date:
2022-01-22
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