Quarantine measures in connection with MOSAiC
With regard to the forthcoming change of personnel in the course of expeditions, preceding quarantine measures are necessary in order to create a maximum degree of safety and to minimize the danger of a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
The crew and scientists have to undergo a strict quarantine in one or more hotels that are specially hired for this purpose. Hereunder, the exact schedule of quarantine is outlined in detail.
About 16 days before the planned departure date, all scientists and crew members are accommodated in some specially hired hotels which are exclusively reserved for this group of persons only. The aim is to create a total cut-off from the outside world, therefore other guests or visitors are not accepted in the hotel. Only a few AWI colleagues have the permission to enter the hotel to carry out swabs and other unavoidable tasks. Swabs are taken from every passenger on day 1, day 6 and day 14.
Accommodation is organized in single rooms and every person is strictly forced to stay in single quarantine until the 6th day after arrival, i.e. meals are being delivered to the rooms and have to be taken there. It is forbidden to leave the rooms. Results of the swabs are at hand on the 6th day. In case of any positive testing this is communicated to the health authorities, and the person has to leave the hotel immediately.
Thereafter, quarantine is released a bit, meals can be taken together in the dining room, but without any contact to the hotel personnel. Possibly, also the use of a gym could be offered. Another swab will be taken on the 14th day. In case of all results being negative embarkation takes place on the 16th day.
If, during the first three days of stay in the hotel, a manifest disease confirmed as COVID 19 occurred, the person in question had to leave the hotel. If, in spite of all severe restrictions, some contacts had taken place and symptoms indicating COVID 19 – or another undetected infection -showed up during quarantine, another test is performed. A symptomatic respiratory disease is not necessarily a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
In case of a positive test result, two more weeks of isolation for all participants in the hotel might be decreed by the responsible health authority. As this would mean a further delay, it is very important to see to a strict separation of the persons in the rooms especially in the beginning. In this case, local health authorities would decide about the measures and supervise their observation.
Before the beginning of the quarantine, a self-assessment as per attachment has to be filled in by each participant. The proceedings described are in coordination with the Port Health Authorities in Bremerhaven and the Health Authorities in Bremen.
If quarantine measures are performed on board of a ship, even if lying in the roads, the whole ship had to be evacuated in case of a manifest disease. Separation of participants has the advantage that other crew members could work on board of the ship before departure. Before the crew and scientists board the ship, all common rooms, door latches and handrails can again be cleaned/disinfected.
By multiple use of laboratory tests before boarding Polarstern, the risk of overlooking an infection could be extremely minimized resp. excluded. Additional persons could be tested whenever necessary.