Additional measures are presently in place for expeditions. Quarantine measures are planned individually for each expedition.
Procedure in case of positive SARS CoV-2 test or COVID-19 outbreak
Before boarding Polarstern, all expeditioners and crew will be quarantined in Bremerhaven. At the beginning, day 6 and day 14 of the quarantine, a PCR test for SARS CoV-2 will take place. In case of a positive SARS CoV-2 test or clinical signs of COVID-19, the following procedures are planned:
- Patient will stay isolated
- Local health authorities will be informed (AWI)
- Patient will be transferred to a separate apartment (AWI/health authorities)
- Patient will stay in quarantine in said apartment and act according to the same procedures that apply to the German population
- AWI will help with the logistics of being quarantined without a social network, i.e. supply food etc. (AWI)
- Local health authorities will perform additional PCR tests before ending the quarantine
- In case of health deterioration, the patient will get medical attention, this is also according to the normal German procedures. If necessary, the patient will be taken to the hospital in Bremerhaven (AWI/health authorities)
- AWI logistics will help where help is needed – no one will be left alone
- The expedition insurance approved this plan and will cover eventual medical bills
How to make a swab:
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Preventive measures in advance of the departure
Basics information before departureGenerally speaking, persons with respiratory disease symptoms and/or a fever may not depart.
To reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 arriving on board one of Polarstern and thus the occurrence of a COVID-19 case as much as possible, access to the ships is subject to strict restrictions. Strict quarantine measures must also be applied to the scientists and crews of RV Polarstern before the start of the voyage. Both infection prevention measures are described in the following sections.
Access restrictions for external persons to the ships
No access of external persons to the vessels.Quarantine measure for scientists and crews of the vessels
All scientists, as well as the crew of the vessel must undergo a strict quarantine in specially rented hotels. The quarantine procedure is coordinated and implemented by the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI) in Bremerhaven along with the local health authorities.
AWI has also initiated the purchase of PCR tests (Bosch Vivalytic device) to ensure that tests can be administered on board of RV Polarstern.
If despite all the strict regulations, any contact and symptoms indicate COVID-19 or a previously undetected infection during the quarantine period, the tests will be performed again.Boarding of passengers and crew change in Bremerhaven
The passengers and crews are transported from the hotels to the feeder vessels in Bremerhaven using rented buses. The cabs of the buses are shielded, all the passengers should wear a mouth/nose protection and comply with the generally valid hygiene measures during the transport. Contact with the outside world continues to be prohibited.
When boarding the vessel, everyone must disinfect their hands. The handover of the vessel between the departing and the relief crew and scientists must take place without any contact and in compliance with the hygiene regulations.
Before the change of the crew, the ship is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
Prevention measures on board
Since all persons on board are subjected to an extensive quarantine in advance and tested several times for coronavirus, the defined measures for contact avoidance can be dispensed with for the most part. Nevertheless, compliance with the general hygiene measures must continue to be ensured.
If during the voyage, a suspected case of coronavirus occurs on board, the emergency measures must be implemented immediately.
Equipment on board
Protective equipment
The following equipment shall be kept on board the vessels and should be used as required by the infection protection plan:
- Protective masks (medical, FFP2/3 standard for treating personnel)
- Disposable coat
- Gloves
- Infrared thermometer
- Hand sanitiser dispenser (mobile)
- Hand sanitiser
- Additional disinfectant spray
- Additional antiseptic soap
- Disposable paper tissues
Measures in the event of a suspected case of COVID-19 at sea
RV Polarstern is staffed by a ship’s doctor. All people on board are urged to be more vigilant and cautious. Compliance with the generally applicable hygiene measures must be continual.
If a person feels sick or has the first symptoms of coronavirus, the ship's doctor should be informed immediately.
The instructions of the ship's doctor regarding the necessary protective measures (e.g. quarantine/isolation) must be followed. The German Protection against Infection Act allows the abrogation of some fundamental rights.
If there is a reasonable suspicion of infection at sea, the following measures must be initiated:
- The person concerned must be isolated immediately in the ship's hospital If necessary and where possible, the neighbouring cabins of the ship's hospital must be cleared to achieve spatial distancing.
- Roommates of persons with a suspected infection must also be isolated in their cabin.
- Identify direct contact persons to contain the infection.
- If necessary and possible, isolate cohorts (isolate groups of people).
- Request support via MEDICO Cuxhaven. Follow the emergency plan of AWI and inform the responsible authorities.
- The ventilation of the ship must be modified to minimise the spread of the viruses via the ventilation system – deactivate the air recirculation, switch off individual ventilation sections if possible.
- Apart from the persons involved in the treatment, no one should be allowed to have contact with the sick person.
- Contact with the affected person should be documented by name.
- Stick to the hygiene rules. Gloves, masks and disposable coats should be worn by the treating staff.
- The sick person’s clothing has to be washed at 60–90 °C. To prevent the spread through clothing, the sick person’s laundry must not be washed along with the clothes of healthy It must be collected and transported in an infection prevention bag. The laundry must be closed for the rest of the crew after its first use for the patient’s clothing.
- Dishes and cutlery used by sick persons are to be kept separate from other dishes and cutlery and cleaned with hot water and dish detergent.
- If there is an outbreak on board, the health parameters of all the persons on board shall be checked regularly to detect further spread in good time.
- Cleaning measures with a view to decontamination are to be reinforced.
Since a ship is dependent on the various parts of the crew working together, special care must be taken so that crew members responsible for key positions are not infected in the event of infections. If necessary, such crew members should also be isolated (deck isolation).
A PCR testing device (Vivalytic) is available on RV Polarstern, they can be used if necessary. A PCR test would make it possible to rule out or confirm an infection with SARS-CoV-2 immediately.
Positive PCR test result
If evidence of SARS-CoV-2 is detected during arrival, the patient must be isolated immediately, and all passengers who have had contact with the sick person (contact group 1) are also to be isolated and tested using the PCR device. The initial treatment on board is to be carried out by the ship’s doctor. However, the patient should be disembarked as soon as possible. In such a case it must be assumed that, the entire ship will be quarantined, since prescribed distance rules cannot be observed on board, partly due to multiple occupancy of the rooms.
It will be reported immediately according to the emergency plan.
Irrespective of the project stage during which a COVID-19 infection occurs on board of one of the vessels they have to return to Bremerhaven immediately.